The Prophecy
by Lady Razeli
Summary: After Ten Little Warlords, Xena discovers that she is carrying Ares' child. Now she must leave to protect him. Will Ares find out the truth or will Xena ignore the pains in her heart and stay hidden even from her love child Solan?
1. Scrubbing away her disgust

Intimate Stranger

By

Lady Razeli

Disclaimer: I do not own Xena...

Sex: No, but does show a relationship between two women.

Violence: Plenty.

Scrubbing away her disgust

"Xena, you've been scrubbing for hours." Xena looked up to see Gabrielle standing on the banks of the river they were resting by.

"Don't judge if Callisto had, had sex with Ares in your body you'd be scrubbing like mad too."

"Oh Xena I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Gabrielle stripped down to her shift and scrubbed all the places on Xena's back. It was a few hours after Gabrielle had gotten to cold in the water that she got out. Since Gabrielle was sleeping she went in search of some much needed herbs in the area just in case. She hated to admit it but there was a chance she was pregnant. She had vomited, her sense of smell had increased and everything smelt disgusting. Although she was vomiting her waistline had thickened a little. At first she had brushed it off as her soul getting accustomed to her body again but it had been a little under three months since the incident.

"Xena did you eat?" Gabrielle asked feeling Xena lay down next to her.

"Um…no I'm not hungry," Xena replied. "Go back to sleep." Xena had smelled that stew and immediately went off to puke.

"No, no eat I feel like you haven't eaten for two days. I won't sleep until you eat. Xena tried to sleep, but Gabrielle refused to let the matter rest. Finally Xena forced herself to eat the stew. She was completely nauseous when she lay down under her bear skin blanket and her stomach was doing flips. Once she was sure Gabrielle was asleep she carefully stood up and went out of earshot of the camp and threw it all up. She squatted with her head between her knees.

"Oh Gods please just let me be sick." After a few minutes when she was sure she would not vomit again she stood up and walked back to the camp yawning. When she got there she had to turn right back around to use the outhouse. When she came back she was able to sleep. She slept as long as Gabrielle and they left late that morning.

"Xena are you all right?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yeah, I'm great," Xena replied. "Come on I want to get to Athens soon." Gabrielle nodded. They hurried into Athens making it just after nightfall. They got two rooms at a tavern and had a late dinner. For once Xena's stomach didn't do flips and she slept peacefully.


	2. Pregnant or not?

Pregnant or not?

"What do you think, pregnant or not?" Xena asked the healer.

"I can't tell, and when that happens you should go to the temple of Apollo." Xena sighed and nodded. The last thing she wanted was to enter the temple of one of the Gods. Who knows Apollo might tell Ares and if she were pregnant, she didn't want him to find out. "But I don't see any obvious illness, if you're not pregnant I'm sure you will be fine." Xena nodded again.

"Thank you." She paid the woman and hurried off towards Apollo's temple. She needed a definite answer that day. She was thankful to find it empty for once. A priestess led her to her room and performed a ritual on her.

"Well?" Xena asked once it was over.

"You will bare a son in six months time," The priestess announced. "If you don't wish to have this baby this will get rid of it. Undress and stand in that tub than dump it into the fire." Xena merely nodded. Xena remained silent as the priestess left her to her thoughts and her decision. She undressed herself and stood in the tub and brought the herb up to her lips, but just as she was about to take a bite she felt a light flutter in her stomach. Her body immediately recognized that feeling. She felt it four more times before her mind could fully understand what was going on. Her right hand dropped the herb and went to her stomach.

She would bare the son of Ares. Unlike any of his other children he would not leave her son to live his life in peace. She had to get out of Greece. She ran out of the temple and back to tavern. She packed all her things and saddled Argo. She left a scroll for Gabrielle explaining nothing. She told her one day she would return but until than not to look for her. She needed to be alone.


	3. Birth of Daniel

Birth of Daniel

"Xena!" Cleopatra exclaimed seeing Xena in the market as she was being carried along to one of her ships to relax along the Nile she had wanted to take a trip through the village to see how it was doing.

"Cleopatra!" Xena exclaimed seeing her. She went over to her and they hugged as best they could around Xena's protruding belly.

"Oh Xena you're pregnant, come, come you must join me and tell me all about it." Xena was reluctant too but sat beside Cleopatra anyway. Soon they were aboard one of her ships.

"Let's just say that if a certain God found out about this my son will be screwed." Cleopatra nodded.

"Don't worry I won't tell a soul, but you must stay in the palace with me." Xena shook her head.

"No, I have a nice home in the village and I sell fish in the market, I need to do this on my own for a while, but we'll visit twice a week when we can." Cleopatra nodded. She understood that Xena needed to be independent and care for the child herself. She didn't want the luxury of ordering a slave to take care of it.

"Well if you need a slave to help out let me know it's the least I can do for you." Xena nodded.

"I think that'll be a long way off, but all right." Xena enjoyed herself and soon they returned to the village. She went home and straight to bed, the baby tired her out immensely. That night the baby finally decided after being two weeks over due that it was time for his arrival. It took all her strength not to scream out and she labored all night. By the middle of the morning he arrived safe and healthy. She cut the cord and swaddled him. He was bald except for the patch of dark black hair on his head. She thanked the Egyptian Gods he looked exactly like her. She kissed his forehead repeatedly.

"Welcome to the world Daniel." Once he had, had his first feeding and was settled beside her they both slept through the day waking up every so often to eat. They were both physically tired. By the end of the week Xena gathered up her strength and began her trade again she had a living to make with Daniel strapped to her chest. With a diet of fish and fruits she lost the baby weight quickly it helped that she worked out every day and picked one hour out of every day to train instead of sleep. She had to keep up her skills, who knew when they might be needed again. She had to protect her son at all costs and if that meant she lost sleep than so be it.


	4. Daniel

Daniel

Four-year-old Daniel ran a head of Xena as they headed for the Nile. Xena ran after him falling behind a little so he would think he was winning. He giggled as she caught up and pretended to be out of breath.

"Little boy I think you're getting faster." Daniel laughed his blue eyes shining.

"Mommy you get old," Daniel replied giggling some more. Xena frowned.

"Oh yeah, but if I were so old could I do this?" Xena asked as she began tickling him mercilessly after dropping their fishing rods on the dock. He laughed even harder.

"Mommy, mommy stop okay you're not old, you're not," Daniel cried. Xena smiled and gave in as he breathed hard." I still think your old." Xena grinned at him as he jumped in their fishing boat and tried to push away from the dock. Xena dropped the rods in the boat and followed before he pushed the boat away completely.

"You'd think after Four years you'd no better by now," Xena teased tickling him once again. He laughed hard and finally she stopped and kissed the top his head. "Okay enough tickle wars let's get to work." Daniel nodded and she paddled the boat out of to the center of the Nile before she let him take over and battle the currents. It was his favorite part of fishing.

"All right we're at the spot." Daniel stopped paddling.

"Mommy how do you always know where the fish are?" Daniel asked. Xena shrugged.

"A gift I suppose, maybe if you're quiet you'll hear them."

"You can't hear fish." Xena let her hand hang in the water as she moved it a little. She could feel a big fish swimming around.

"Are you sure?" Xena asked. Daniel nodded.

"I'm very sure." He had a face full of fish while Xena smirked. She watched him frown for a moment and for a minute she thought he would cry when he started laughing.

"Do again mommy that was fun I like getting wet." Xena grinned and shook her head. "Maybe later right now we have to fish." She handed him his pole and they fished all morning. They took their load back to the village market where their stand was. They set out the already dried and salted fish as well as the fresh fish they caught every morning. The dried fish sold quickly as there wasn't much left as they often ate it for dinner.

"Is there anymore dried fish?" Daniel asked running back into their stall. He looked out of breath and wet.

"Did you go swimming in the river?" Xena asked. She had forbid him to do so without her supervision because of the crocodiles. He shook his head his braid of hair spraying water on her.

"Xena, can you wrap up this fish for me?" A man asked. Xena nodded and wrapped up the last of dry fish and three whole fishes. He gave her some corn in trade. He was a pour slave and she didn't mention that he didn't have enough corn, but she had plenty. "Thank you." Xena nodded and he turned to go back to his family his eyes thanking her some more.

"Wait!" He stopped and turned. He seemed to be shaking; he could imagine what Xena could have done to him. He was a slave and she was free. Even worse she knew the Queen and at times was called to the palace for major decisions.

"Yes?" He asked with his head bowed. Xena could see his family looking a little worried.

"Take two more I've got a lot today." He smiled and thanked her again taking two more fish. He accepted them. Daniel pulled on her linen shorts. She looked down at him.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

"Sorry, here, go start a small fire." She passed him a fish she had cleaned for him anyway incase she sold all of her dried fish. He was about to take the fish when she stopped. He was naked and his linen skirt was in his arms all wet and balled up sort of.

"Daniel tell me the truth or just skip lunch all together today." Daniel's stomach growled and Xena looked down at him waiting for an answer.

"Some boys were drowning the kitty and jumped in after him. The monsters in the river would have eaten him." He showed her the half-drowned kitten.

"In the future please don't jump in unless you're saving a person, Kittens are sacred remember Bastet would have saved it eventually." He nodded. She unwrapped the kitten, which turned out to be a girl, from his skirt and hung it up to dry in the afternoon sun. Daniel started a fire after piling wood correctly and looking at it. She took a fish over to the vegetable stand to add to her son's lunch. She fixed him some corn and cabbage.

"Don't bolt it all down." Daniel nodded as he fed the kitten. He ran off with the kitten once they were done without a word to her as usual. She began drying and salting fish when the day started to whine down. She was closing up her stall when a slave ran up.

"Please, please will you take this pig in trade for some fish." Xena was the only vendor left out. No one was selling anything anymore.

"If you need food why not kill the pig?" Xena asked.

"My wife craves fish, she's pregnant and it is all she wants. Please it is our first child I just want her happy." Xena took a good look at the pig. It was nice and fat anyone else would have slaughtered the pig by now.

"I guess, it'll be a fine pig once fattened up." She gave him the last four fishes and took the pig. He hurried off She was just closing up when soldiers came running up. They stopped when they saw her.

"Where is the man who gave you that pig?" They asked. Xena shrugged.

"He just left about twenty minutes ago, did he steal it?" Xena asked. They nodded.

"It's one of the pigs we use to breed three or four times before slaughtering them for the Queen. Xena handed the pig over."

"You will be rewarded, how much did you trade for the pig?" They asked.

"I gave him my last three fish worth the pig for their size." They nodded. She pointed them in the direction of the man. They left. She took the dried fish home. She was fixing dinner when Daniel finally decided to walk in with his bath waiting by the fire. He was covered in sand.

"Took you long enough, where did you run off too?" Xena asked.

"Kitty and I went for a walk. He likes to walk."

"That's a girl cat, and I really think you should take that cat to the temple where she belongs."

"No, mommy," Daniel whined.

"Yes, its wrong to steal, now we're taking kitty back in the morning. Is that clear?" Daniel nodded. "Good now come on get in this tub." She lifted him in and washed him. Xena dried and dressed him before seating him at the table. She took the fish stew off the fire and let it cool while she went outside and collected milk from their cow who was very happy to be milked after a long day.

"Mommy?" Daniel asked as they both ate. The kitten stood on the table drinking its milk and eating some dried fish.

"Yes baby," Xena answered.

"How come we live like slaves when we have more resources." Xena shrugged. When she had first arrived it worked to her advantage to live among the slaves. Nobody noticed anything weird about her pregnancy. She had her fair share of strange mishaps, but with the slaves gone all day no one had noticed.

"I don't know, don't you like it here?" Xena asked. Daniel shook his head.

"People steal from us and boys think I'm a slave."

"You're not a slave."

"Than why do we speak the language of the slaves."

"Don't you speak the language of the free too?" Xena asked Daniel nodded. "And you speak Greek right?" He nodded again. "Well you speak it because I speak it, just makes you smarter than them. You shouldn't classify by language." Daniel nodded and continued eating. They finished dinner and played Mehen together it was Daniel's favorite board game.

The next day they went up to the palace for their weekly trip. They had great fun as usual especially Daniel. They an hour or so before the sun was to set. Xena hated traveling through Alexandria in the dark so far from home, the soldiers tended to accidentally mistake a person for a slave at times. Daniel rode a top Argo who walked along slowly enjoying the exercise. They were only a kilometer away from home when a fire started.

"Look mommy," Daniel said with a smile. He thought fire was beautiful and in its own way it could be.

"Yeah, I see." When they reached the place where their home was suppose to be the fire had gone down and they were not happy to see it was there home that had been burned. Their cow had gone up in flames or been stolen by the person who had started the blaze in the first place.

"Mommy," Daniel cried as he picked up his burnt crocodile toy. The smell of charred fish filled the air and starving slaves were already feasting on it.

"Its okay darling we'll replace your things later." She unearthed a medium sized box and led Argo away after putting Daniel back in the saddle. They went to their stall and tied Argo up tightly behind the stall.

"Mommy what are we going to eat?" Daniel complained. "We're going to starve and freeze to death." Xena looked at him as if something was wrong with him and than shook her head. Her son was just very spoiled.

"Firstly you just came from having a nice meal up at the palace and secondly so you spend one night out under the stars it'll do you some good. I use to do it all the time before I moved here." She kissed his forehead and went to a crate. She pulled out her old bear skin blanket.

"There's no wood." Xena found some stones and stacked them.

"Heat them until they glow." Daniel nodded and did as he was told. The stones not only provided light but heat. She held him and sat close to the rocks. She rocked him and kissed his forehead while she told him the story about the furies. She started to think about Solan. She missed him greatly and she bet he was wondering where she was at, but she had to protect Daniel.

"Mommy will you tell me another story?" Daniel asked sleepily with his thumb in his mouth.

"Okay, which one do you want to hear?" Xena asked.

"Can you tell me about when you saved those Trojans?" Daniel asked.

"Sure that's one of my favorites." She began the tale, but she hadn't even gotten to the part where she left Gabrielle on her own when he had dropped off to sleep. She kissed his forehead and lay him down on the blanket. He cried and woke up the moment she stood up to go brush Argo. She picked him back up and hushed his tears. She hummed to him as she rocked him and brushed Argo with one hand a skill she had perfected. Once Argo was taken care of she lay him down again, but this time she joined him after throwing sand on the stones, which took away the light. He snuggled up next to her and slept through the night.


	5. Pets

Pets

"Mommy if we protect people how come we don't free all the slaves?" Daniel asked. "Didn't you say slavery is wrong?" Xena was silent as they headed for the temple of Bastet.

"Yes, I did say that, but its easier to free a few slaves than it is to free a nation. Now slavery is apart of culture here and it's been done for centuries its not so simple for us to fight because we'd be fighting family."

"But if Aunt Cleopatra is family how come we don't live with her?" Daniel asked. Xena smiled and shook her head. He was so full of questions and she loved him for it.

"Daniel sometimes there are people you meet in life who become your very good friend and you become so close you're like family. Now we don't live there because I feel like if we did it would make it easier for Ares to find us." She kept no secrets from him. He knew of Solan, Gabrielle, his grandmother, and her life before she turned good. Most importantly he knew about Ares and made the decision for himself to stay away from him.

"Oh, but why do we allow slavery to continue?"

"Because there are a lot of wealthy people and although I wouldn't mine going up against the odds, we'd be losing a family member. Trust me when I say that keeping on your Aunt's good side by not pressuring her to attempt something that could ruin her country is bad. What we can do and will is help keep them from starving to death. To do big things we must first take small steps."

"Is that why you're nice to people when they don't pay you the right amount sometimes?" Daniel asked. Xena nodded.

"I know, they have no more to give and sometimes fish can sustain you more than corn." Daniel nodded.

"Where are we going?" Daniel asked.

"To the temple, its time Kitty went back where she belonged."

"Mommy," Daniel cried. "Please let me keep her, we have another cow now. Please don't take her away."

"I know how you feel, but we must, I'm sorry." She carried him to the temple after he tried to set the cat free but she followed them. The temple priests were so happy to see her back.

"Can't you take pity on my son and let him keep her?" Xena asked. The priests sighed.

"Well, I suppose I could if this little boy would jump into the river for her, Bastet must be smiling upon you." Daniel smiled and took back the kitten.

"Thank you," Daniel replied. He nodded and closed the temple door. They walked back to their new home in the much wealthier side of the city though Cleopatra kept telling her she was welcome in the palace and would give her a much better job than fish vendor. The cow and Argo usually stood in their small yard with lots of wheat to eat on.

"Now that Kitty is officially yours you had better take extra good care of her, young man." Daniel nodded.

"Mommy can we go to the market please," Daniel begged.

"We're there everyday don't you wanna go play Mehen and maybe go down to the Nile in our secret spot to swim?" Xena asked. He nodded.

"I wanna get a new toy."

"You just got a kitten."

"I want a toy now." Xena shook her head at him.

"You're so spoiled you know that." Daniel nodded.

"Come on Mommy." He ran ahead for the market. She laughed and ran after him. She caught up with him easily but as usual let him get a head of her. They stopped at the toy vendor. He got a wooden hippo whose mouth opened and closed.

"Look it cracks nuts and squishes fruits." He squished a fig and a nut." Daniel was very pleased. "Now that'll be a package of dried fish.

"Mommy can I get more than one toy?" Daniel asked spotting a nice wooden elephant he liked.

"Only two," Xena said limiting his choices as she took the kitten from him.

"That'll cost you enough fish to last me the week." Xena retrieved the fish and Daniel happily skipped a head of her while she held his kitten. They retrieved Argo and rode off to the Nile. Usually they came this way to fish, but today it was to swim in a secret little lagoon. The water flowed under the land and came out among some rocks. The kitten rested on the rocks as they swam. There were some fish, but not many so they did not fish here.

"Okay stay very still whatever you do don't move." Daniel nodded. He giggled when he felt the fish come closer to his feet and his stomach. All of a sudden Xena grabbed a fish and held it up. Daniel as amazed. Xena had never shown him that trick before. She'd done it in the Nile were they were fishing but in a different fashion.

"Oh mommy show me how to do it too," Daniel pleaded. Xena nodded with a grin as she let the fish go. It took all day he finally got it, but he wasn't strong enough to hold on and fish kept slipping from his grip.

"No worries, soon you'll be even bigger and even stronger, and they won't be able to escape the mighty hands of Daniel," Xena said tickling him. He laughed so hard and tried to tickle Xena. Xena wasn't ticklish, but she laughed any way as if she were.

"All right go collect some wood for a fire." Daniel nodded. He ran off. "Be careful!" She set up a circle of stones and pulled out the dried fish she had gathered their journey and pour out the water skin full of milk. Daniel would be very pleased to know she had put chocolate in their milk. He came back with an armload of wood. She created a little hut. He lit the fire and she used a rock to heat the fish on.

"Here drink some milk." He obeyed without protest for once. He was delighted to taste chocolate and drank some more. She smiled and stroked his head a bit.

"Mommy do you miss Solan?" Daniel asked. "And Grandma and Gabrielle?" Xena nodded.

"Yes," Xena answered. Daniel frowned and looked down with a chocolate milk mustache on his face. He looked cute when he was upset, but Xena didn't want him to be upset. "Don't be sad you didn't do anything wrong." She pulled him into her arms and kissed his forehead.

"Yes, I did, if I weren't here you'd be with Solan now and not here away from your family."

"If you weren't born my life would be missing something."

"Really?" Daniel asked. Xena nodded.

"Yes, you're not what is keeping us here in Egypt all these years. Ares is and one day when I could be sure that you will be safe and free I'd take you to Greece in a heartbeat. We'd tell your brother the truth and go to Amphipolis where you'll both be showered with sweets and kisses by your Grandma and we'd go find Gabrielle, so she can tell you lots more stories."

"I like the way you tell them mommy," Daniel said kissing her cheek and putting his arms around her neck.

"Hmm…I like it when you tell stories too. Why don't you tell me about the one with the crocodile and monkey." He told her the silly tale he'd made up. She laughed in all the appropriate places. After his tale they headed back to Alexandria. Argo got them there quickly and they took care of Argo and the cow.

"Your reward for returning the stolen pig," Said the guard. He gave her some already cooked pig's meat and three piglets two females and one male.

"Thank you." They nodded.

"Yay pork!" Daniel exclaimed seeing it on the table. Xena shook her head at him. "Taste kitty." He gave the kitten a piece of pork, but she didn't like it.

"Don't give Kitty pork, you're going to hurt her tummy," Xena said picking up the kitten. She put her on the table with her saucer of milk."

"Can I give piggy some pork?" Daniel asked. It was his name for the first pig. Daniel had named the male Piggy 3 and the other female Piggy 2.

"No, never feed an animal its own species. It'd be like feeding a slave, the body of another slave. It is cruel and wrong." Daniel took his hand back and ate the piece of meat himself.

"What do Pigs eat?" Daniel asked stuffing some meat into his mouth. Xena ate some as she gathered some bowls for the pigs, but she left the rest for him to feast on she wasn't pig on pork when it was boiled and not in a stew.

"Pigs will actually eat anything including another pig."

"Than how come I can't feed them pork?" Daniel asked.

"Because it's one thing for them to do it, its another thing for us to give it to them. Xena fed them corn and fish. They were just old enough to be away from their mother. No need to give them milk. The next day Xena built them a pen along with a water trough they could reach and feeding trough. She fed them a mix of corn, wheat barley and fish. She collected some plants down by the Nile when they went fishing as well. Daniel liked to trade for fruits as well. He took very good care of his kitten who was a constant companion especially when he ran up to the palace now and again for a quick visit or long one especially if sweets were involved. When there started to be a revolt among the citizens who weren't slaves Xena became in charge of the guard and she helped settle the unrest when Daniel turned five years old. Cleopatra gave him a nice party like she did every year.

"Mommy, look," Daniel said. Both females had, had a litter of piglets. Piggy had a litter of twelve piglets in her own pen and Piggy 2 had a little of about fourteen. Twenty-six piglets and Piggy 3 merely ate from the trough as usual.

"I see." Daniel went into each pen and petted the sows. He didn't touch the piglets except to pet them gently. Xena found a very small pig belonging to Piggy 2, he was covered in mud and looked half-dead.

"Mommy is Piggy thirty hurt?" Daniel asked coming over. Xena sighed. Daniel had named the pigs, now they would be even harder to get rid of.

"He's not hurt, just small, he's not big enough to stay in the pen." Daniel gently took him and ran into their home. She milked the cow with Kitty next to her. She carried the milk in and mixed it with chocolate. He tried to give the poor piglet milk.

"No, he needs goat's milk. Why don't you put him Kitty's bed and let Kitty sleep next to you. We'll give him to some farmer." Daniel nodded and did that. In the morning he ran off with the Piglet right breakfast with the announcement that she wouldn't give Piggy Thirty away.

"Kitty we're in for trouble." Kitty meowed as if in agreement. Xena petted her nice soft dark chocolate brown fur. She finished her breakfast. She cleaned up after the cow and Argo as well as around the home. She did laundry and hung it to dry. She had secured a small home for two people with a large yawn. She didn't want to have to buy her milk at the market everyday and what not. She was peasant girl at heart. The women laughed at her behind her back because she did all her own housework.

She looked for Daniel every where as she headed for the Nile. It was still very early. She decided it wouldn't hurt for him to be on his own. If he got hungry while she was gone there was dried fish in the market booth where he had been and sold lunch to a few slaves and farmers but not all. There was milk at the house and he could start a fire without burning himself.

"Wow, I do fish faster without Daniel, but its no fun," Xena muttered as she rowed the boat back. Kitty meowed as if agreeing with her. Argo helped to carry all the fish back into Alexandria after she used her extra time to gather plants for the pigs. She set up shop and immediately she did a little shopping for vegetables. She cooked some fish and fed herself and Kitty. She paid a slave girl to take Argo home and give the pigs water.

"Xena," A group of young slave girls ran up. She smiled at them. She asked them about their day and such. They traded their ration of corn for some fish for their family. They stayed and talked a little more and asked about Argo.

"I'm sorry Argo just went home, if you stop by tomorrow perhaps we can arrange for a meeting." They smiled happily and nodded. A Egyptian officer walked by and ordered them to hurry to their families to eat lunch so they could get back to work. He nodded to Xena and she nodded back. She continued to sell to many slaves, but acquired more promises to pay her back that day. Xena traded for some fruits and vegetables for Daniel's dinner when he finally showed up carrying a basket. Kitty ran up to him and licked his heels. She was very happy to see him. He smiled down at her.

"What's that young man and where's that piglet?" Xena asked sternly.

"Look mommy I traded some fish for a goat. He uncovered it to show the piglet sleeping next to a large goat. It seemed her son had acquired some super strength as well. Xena sighed.

"Daniel we can't keep all those pigs and a goat too."

"Please mommy, I'll take real good care of them," Daniel pleaded. He pleaded and begged all day and refused to eat. He only stopped to get the goat out of the basket and milk it for the little big. It was all too cute.

"Kitty I've gone soft," Xena said. Kitty meowed as if in agreement. They went home and got the goat settled in with Daniel feeding the pig regularly through the night over the next four weeks he did really well and the piglet was able to go into the pen with its mother and drink her milk. If Xena didn't know any better she wouldn't believe that the two sows were already in heat again. She was careful to keep the male away.

"Okay time to sell the goat," Xena said six weeks after the piglets had been born.

"No mommy you can't sell Pete," Daniel cried.

"Yes, there's no one to feed him and he's eaten ever ounce of grass all down the length of the street and in our yard. I don't know how he's still alive." Daniel ran out and took the goat with him. "Damn it I hate when he does that." She went about her business for the day. He showed up again with Pete when she had finished making dinner.

"Mommy look what I found." He was carrying duck. Kitty seemed to meow in protest.

"Where did you get a duck?" Xena asked.

"I found her drowning in the Nile."

"Are you sure, or did you just wet her so you could say you did?" Xena asked. He looked down and drew circles in the dirt floor with his toe.

"Can I keep him please mommy?" Daniel asked.

"No, now tomorrow, we're selling the goat, the duck, and the pigs." Daniel was very upset and barely ate his dinner. In the morning they sold fish, but in the afternoon and all through the morning they sold the pigs until they were down to their first three, Piggy Thirty, Piggy Twenty-five, and Piggy Fifteen. They had three sows and three boars. The duck had hid itself every time she tried to give it away and the goat had disappeared that morning. She let him keep the pigs when Piggy three choked on an apple and died.

"Can we keep Ducky too?" Daniel cried as they harvested Piggy three's meat. Xena nodded as she sighed in defeat. The Gods were not on her side. "And Pete?"

"Pete can stay only a little while longer, but you have to make sure he has to be to take to graze and while you do that you can take the cow too. I don't think we can keep feed it corn and wheat." He nodded. The next day she picked a spot for him to graze their goat and cow along the Nile while she fished. He knew his way back and she told him to stay clear of the crocodiles or else. He returned at supper, but with a Goose.

"Well let's here how you've acquired the goose," Xena said.

"Some boys were gonna kill it so I saved Goosey." Xena hung her head with a hand on her forehead. "Just come eat dinner." He ate a lot that night. The next day he came home with a dog. Xena didn't even ask; she just asked him did he steal the dog. She was satisfied when he said no.

"Doggy go pee outside," Daniel said. "Bad doggy you no pee inside."

"Kitty I think we might need a bigger house." She got a bigger house made of stone. Now there were two extra rooms that were useless.

"Okay so I let you keep the pigs, the dog, the goose, the duck, and the goat. Now you've brought home a chicken." He nodded.

"A hen and look mommy she just had chicks just like Goosey and Ducky." Goosey and Ducky had laid eggs in secret nests. She only discovered them when they walked around followed by the cute things. Xena sighed and just sent them back outside. She finished preparing the four quails she had caught that morning. She was thankful he didn't see them when they were alive. She gave Doggy his own quail, which he barked a thank you too while Kitty feasted her nightly meal of fish, and milk which was her favorite.

"Okay today we create a garden."

"Why?" Daniel asked after handing their grazing animals to a borrowed slave for Piggy One. She was so big that they practically bought the slave. A few more fish would seal the deal.

"Because if you wanna keep your precious pets we can't spend most of our fish on vegetables when we could be growing them." Daniel nodded and they worked all day to prepare the soil. The next day they planted onions, cumin, garlic, leeks, beans, chickpeas, lentils, lettuce, and radishes. Xena was lucky enough to find some tomatoes from a Greek trader. She planted those as well. They had fruit from the pomegranate tree that was eight meters tall and the Fig tree that was only ten meters tall. It provided a lot of shade.

"Please buy me completely and my wife please we'll work hard," The slave begged. The garden had sprouted and Daniel could now go back to grazing the animals. She could tell the slave was frightened, but she wouldn't feel right owning a person. Everyone belonged to themselves.

"Look I'm sorry I'm just not comfortable with the whole slave thing." He continued to beg for her to buy him, but unfortunately his master heard him and cut out his tongue for his insolence.

"You will die," He told the slave. He was fat and his horse although big and strong looked ready to drop him.

"Wait!" Xena called out when Daniel looked at her with a worried expression for the slave and stopped the man from hitting him.

"You dare stop me from hitting my slave."

"No, I stop you from hitting my slave, I want him for my own and I think since you cut out his tongue and his loss of blood with weaken him the pig was enough." He looked at her for a moment.

"Go a head take him, he's more trouble than he's worth." The slave although in great pain kissed her feet but she stepped back in gesture for him not to do that.

"Mommy what about his wife," Daniel said. She looked back up to the man.

"We'll take another one of your pigs as payment."

"First bring her and we'll talk." He snapped his fingers and a slave ran off to his home. He looked over the pigs and said he wanted Piggy 2 as payment.

"No, she's pregnant, they all are." Piggy Fifteen and Thirty had been busy.

"I'll take one of the males than."

"How about I give you six Piglets to raise," Xena replied seeing Daniel's reluctance.

"Six?" He asked.

"Yes, they come from fine stock and with good feeding they'll be huge and fat." He smirked and rubbed his chin.

"I think we may have a deal." The slave came back with his wife.

"Asher!" She cried and ran over to him. She knelt down and saw his tongue was missing she was horrified.

"Stand up!" Her master ordered. Xena looked her over.

"All right, six piglets."

"She's at least worth seven."

"Six Piglets."

"No, I won't be sold without my son," Samara cried as she realized what was going on. Her husband was hurt, she was being sold for no reason she could see, and her son would be alone.

"Mommy," Daniel cried.

"Six more piglets for the son."

"Twelve for the son."

"If I made that price there might only be twelve all together to give."

"Than you will be in depth to me Great Xena friend of the Queen." Xena was very annoyed with this man.

"Mommy," Daniel cried. Xena sighed.

"Fine, is that all your family?" Xena asked Samara. She nodded.

"Bring me the son now." They sent the slave back. Her son was twenty years old. She gave Asher some herbs and wrapped his tongue. He would be okay once his blood started to clot and the healing process began.

"Why did you take us all?" Samara asked as she gave them the two extra rooms.

"He begged me and I couldn't let him die, I got you and your son because he asked and my son pleaded. I don't like having slaves so you are servants, I can't officially set you free, because it's not within my power, but just refer to yourself as servants around me." Samara nodded. Her son whose name was Tabbai thanked her, but that was all.

"Thank you," She said. Xena nodded.

"You will do the morning cooking, lunch we usually have in the market so you may cook for yourself and family. Dinner I cook but you will help now. What you will do mostly is clean. Your husband will tend the garden and help my son with the animals. Daniel will be taking the animals to graze. Do not ever kill any one of those animals without my permission. Daniel treats them all like pets." Samara nodded." Tabbai will accompany me to the Nile to fish away from the big ships. We catch more fish anyway." Tabbai nodded this time. Xena checked on Asher one more time before leaving. She checked on Argo and talked to her as she gave her a nice brushing down.

"What have I gotten myself into Argo?" Xena asked. Argo neighed in response. "I know girl I know. I miss it too." Once Argo had gotten a treat she settled herself for sleep. Xena went inside to see Kitty snuggled up next to Doggy in their shared bed. She blew out the candles as she went and Daniel was playing with one of his toys.

"Come on get ready for bed. They got ready and crawled in bed together. Daniel made the candles go out as she kissed his forehead good night. She sang to him and soon he had drifted off.


	6. Cyrene

Cyrene

"A sheep?" Xena asked.

"I got it off some slave and his owner. They traded it for fish." Xena looked at Tabbai and Daniel.

"You're as bad my son," Xena said shaking her head. She went back and watched the Pigs give birth. Piggy 2 birthed twenty piglets while Piggy Twenty-five only had six. She checked them all for any problems. They were all perfectly fine.

"Are there enough to pay us off?" Tabbai asked coming up to the pen. He liked it here and didn't want to go back.

"Yes, go tell him his payment will be delivered in four weeks once we've weaned them prematurely. Tabbai did as he was told and came back with a message.

"He says if you wanna keep me you'll wean them off so he won't have to feed them any milk."

"Tell him that'll take twelve weeks that'll be three months." Tabbai nodded. Three months passed. They had an abundance of eggs for breakfast and still plenty of chicks running around. The sows were already pregnant again because Asher had let the male boars back in with the sows by accident. The goat had gotten pregnant some how and the sheep had been pregnant already. The sheep was due any day now while the goat still had at least another month.

"All right let's get these pigs off to seal the deal." Tabbai nodded and eighteen pigs were taken to his old master. A messenger rode up and Xena accepted the message. Cleopatra was calling her to the palace.

"If Daniel comes back tell him I'm at the palace. She saddled Argo and rode up to the palace. When she arrived Cleopatra greeted her. They sat down at her table and she told her of Daniel's health and how he still hadn't let her get rid of all the animals.

"What I called you up here for was to tell you that your mother is sick. Your brother with Gabrielle's help has dispatched messages to all your closest friends begging you to return to Greece, it seems only you can help your mother. I feel it is my duty to tell you." Xena sighed.

"It is time I went home and faced the music." Cleopatra nodded.

"You can't hide forever and it will never be over if you don't face it. One day you'll be gone and than what. End the threat now." Xena nodded.

"You're right, I've never been a runner until now and its time I stopped." Cleopatra nodded.

"We'll leave next month when the sows give birth again and so forth. Gods forbid we leave before than."

"Take your servants, set them free in Greece if you like." Xena nodded.

"We will have a grand feast before you leave." Xena went back home and entered to find Daniel with a pet monkey.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope, Monkey is my new best friend." Xena sighed. "Okay household meeting!" Tabbai, Asher, and Samara entered.

"In a month's time assuming we're prepared by than we will be moving to Greece. You three are welcome to free yourselves in Greece, I just ask you do it in a timely fashion." They nodded.

"Does this mean its safe?" Daniel asked. Xena shook her head.

"No, it means we can't run forever and it's not right to bottle up your fears. Fears are meant to be conquered the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Understand?" Daniel nodded.

"Do I have to leave my pets?" Daniel asked. Xena shook her head no.

"They can travel with us and there will be a lot more room for them in my home village." Daniel was very pleased.

"We will stay with you until you no longer need us," Samara said. Xena nodded.

"Well than let's eat dinner." They ate, but halfway through everyone was outside and they helped birth two lambs.

"Yay Sheepy had two babies."

"They're called Lambs."

"Lamb 1 and Lamb 2." Xena shook her head at him; he never was inventive with the names. Lamb 1 was a girl while Lamb 2 was a boy. In another month the Goat had a litter of two boys.

"Is Sandy gonna be okay?" Daniel asked.

"Yes Sandy, Windy, and Squishy are going to be just fine." The sows gave birth to another large litter. Piggy 2 who was on her third litter was exhausted. They weaned the babies off after another month, but they had to kill her. Daniel was sad. They salted the meat for their journey and stored it. Xena made cheese from goat's milk and Samara baked bread. They waited to gather the fruit and vegetables on the very last night.

"How many pigs mommy?" Daniel said running up.

"Um…let's see we started out with twenty-six, but now we're down to fourteen."

"What happen to them?" Daniel asked.

"We gave them to your Aunt Cleopatra."

"What's Samara weaving in the house?" Daniel asked.

"Cotton for your new clothes."

"Why do I need new clothes?" Daniel asked.

"The climate is much different in Greece and you'll need sturdier things. I even got you a pair of boots. On the night before they left Daniel and Xena attended a party in their honor where Cleopatra bestowed them with some riches. They slept in the palace and returned home the next morning. They loaded an ox cart with their neatly folded clothing tied up in satchels. They placed the food packet in there. Next it was the chicken crates, duck crates, and geese crates. After that they added the pots and pans. A basket full of dried fruits and fresh vegetables were added as well. Cleopatra ordered two slaves to keep it in good condition for them and fill it with all new things so she would not have to transport things back and forth.

"I'll send on your furniture and take these two oxen something tells me you won't exactly be living in Egyptian finery." Xena laughed a little a long with her.

"I'll only accept one."

"Please take them, when you get to Greece than you may do what you like." Xena nodded. "Also take Hadar and Hadassa as extra help don't argue." Xena nodded again seeing something in her eyes. Another wagon loaded with goods was loaded onto the boat along with Argo, two oxen, cow, goat, sheep, lambs, kids, pigs, and birds. Xena held Kitty herself and Doggy stood next to Daniel and Monkey. Daniel kissed Cleopatra goodbye. Soon everyone was on board.

"Why did Cleopatra want you to come with me?" Xena asked Hadar and Hadassa when they were mile off the coast.

"She favors us, some one wanted us dead for spilling wine. He would stop at nothing to kill us. This way we're safe. We're yours now and forever." Xena groaned. The journey was long and the food they had stored sustained them most of the way. Soon they were docking in the North. All the carts were unloaded off the boat and loaded with their things. When they reached Amphipolis it was nighttime. They had unpacked in the home Cleopatra had sent a few noble soldiers to build ages ago after buying some land. It resembled their Egyptian home, but with more Greek architectural features. They slept in make shift beds.

In the morning set Asher to creating a new garden while Samara and Hadassa plucked the dead chickens except one who was free to peck the yard for worms. The goats and cow were fine. Argo was perfectly healthy and loved the new barn. The pigs were also okay in their sty, which was in the perfect spot as the smell didn't reach the house. Daniel was stiff however and wanted to go back to Egypt.

"Here, this will help." Xena massaged his back. She bathed him with the water Tabbai retrieved from the river before he went back to the docks to await their furniture with one of the oxen to pull the wagon. Xena gathered the herbs she had brought from her garden.

"Now let's go meet your grandmother," Xena told Daniel.

"Can I bring Kitty, Doggy, and even Monkey?" Daniel asked. Xena shook her head no.

"Later right now, I think Grandma just needs to see us." Daniel nodded. He left with her and they went into the village. They were met by lots of stares and surprised looks. Some people even greeted her as if she had never left.

"Xena!" Torres exclaimed. They hugged. "Mother will be so pleased to see you, when did you get back?"

"Last night, where is she?" Xena asked. Torres didn't notice his nephew who had a tight grip on Xena's hand from being nervous. His small hand fit so perfectly into her own, that Xena barely noticed his tightened grip. But she was never one to be completely ignorant to her son's feelings. She squeezed his hand reasuringly and pulled him a little closer.

"In her room, I really hope you can do something about her illness." Xena nodded. They went upstairs and Xena went in alone and than let Daniel in while she stepped out.

"Well?" Torres asked.

"Just pneumonia, it'll clear up with more constant and better care not that you haven't been doing a great job so far." Torres nodded.

"And the kid?"

"He's mine and your nephew that's all you need to know for now." Torres nodded.

"Excellent, I've always wanted one." Xena nodded and gave him a list of things to collect around the house or in the market. She went back inside as he turned to leave.

"Xena he's gorgeous," Cyrene said before coughing. Xena smiled, but than frown and quickly traversed the room to her mother's bed. Cyrene waved her off as she sat back and breathed deeply.

"He's a treasure," Xena told her.

"Mommy, I was just telling Grandma about Doggy and Kitty and Ducky and Monkey and Goosey and Pete and Piggy thirty and Piggy twenty and Piggy twenty-five and Piggy…"

"Yes, that's not name all the piggy it'll take you all day." Daniel nodded.

"Can I go pick flowers for Grandma?" Daniel asked.

"Why don't you go buy some from the market instead, we just got here and I don't want you wandering off on your own just yet." Daniel nodded and reached for the dinars she kept at her waist.

"Can I buy a toy too?" Daniel asked grabbing a handful.

"One toy no more so don't come asking." Daniel grinned and kissed his Grandma and Xena before running out.

"He reminds me of you when you were little." Xena smiled a little and turned towards her mother.

"I doubt it I can't possibly have been as spoiled as he is." Cyrene nodded your head.

"I spoiled you rotten no matter what."

"I've missed you so much these pass five years."

"Why didn't you come home?" Cyrene asked. "Gabrielle stayed here for over a year waiting and hoping you show up. She even went looking for you, but her search was in vain. I would have helped you with Daniel you know. I didn't think you'd come though when Torres tried to find you in the hopes that you could help me."

"I would never let anything happen to you if I could stop it, but in a way Daniel is the reason I left, but not the reason your thinking. Things were much more complicated and leaving kept him safe, but I can't teach him to live his life in fear. I had to stop hiding or I'd cease being myself." Cyrene nodded. Xena used some herbs to free her mother of the fluid in her lungs, but this also meant that Torres needed to keep close watch on her and give her water to keep hydrated every so often. The days passed as the summer progressed and Cyrene was able to walk around the village with her grandson.

"Grandma don't let him kill Bunny," Daniel cried. Cyrene bought the rabbit and they took him to the house Xena had been expanding to include her mother. Torres was content to watch over the tavern at night. He thought it would do his mother good to live in a house. Hadar, Hadassa, Samara, and Asher were perfectly happy to help. While Hadar and Hadassa had dedicated their lives to her Samara and Asher had found that they were older than they realized. They had urged Tabbai to leave, but he would not go until his parents were in their final resting-place.

"Not again," Xena said riding up on Argo. She had taken her for a very relaxing exercise in her free time.

"What do you mean?" Cyrene asked. "Its one little bunny, I'll help care for."

"You must not been fully awake when he told you about his other pets."

"Other pets?" Cyrene asked. Xena led Argo inside the walls the slaves had constructed. Xena didn't bother to stop them when she saw they had already started and it was coming along quickly. White walls were nice to see after brown of the village. She was missing Alexandria already.

"Well there goes Goosey, Goosey 2 and so on. Than there's Chicky Twenty because there were a lot but they died on the way here. So it's just her. But than there's Ducky, Ducky 2, Ducky 3, Ducky 4 and so on. After Ducky its Doggy and Kitty. Piggy Twenty, Twenty-five, Thirty, and Thirty-one etc…"

"Oh," Cyrene said.

"Mommy you forgot Monkey and Pete and Argo and Sheepy, Lamb 1, Lamb 2, and Windy and Squishy."

"I thought Pete was named Sandy since it turned out to be a girl?" Xena asked. Daniel shook his head.

"Nope, Pete again."

"Right well note Argo is mine and the rest are yours."

"Mommy you silly, I'm gonna go show Bunny, Monkey." Xena stuck her tongue out at him and he did the same before running off.

"Next time I'll think twice." Xena nodded as she led Argo to the barn with her mother following.

"Why do you have two oxen?" Cyrene asked. Xena shrugged.

"I got all this land and it was assumed I'd do some farming but I'm quite content to buy my wheat and barley, but we don't exactly have corn here so Tabbai is using them for that. Other than that they're really useless to me."

"I thought you didn't like slaves." They walked out of the barn and watched Asher tending to their beautiful garden where he had added chili peppers, legumes, peas, melon, watermelon, parsley, Cucumbers, Mint, Oregano, Coriander, Turnips, Dill, Arugula, Carrots, broccoli, tea, and strawberries.

"I don't, but you see Asher was borrowed to help me out, but than he asked me to buy him. I guess he preferred me to his abusive master. Asked me to save his wife as well. So his master heard him and cut out his tongue. So I bought him and than I bought his wife and finally his son. Hadar and Hadassa I saved them from certain death and they've dedicated their lives to me. I've freed them, but they insist on staying as servants with food, room, and clothing." Asher looked up at that moment and waved to them. They waved back. They went inside the house where things were furnished and comfortable. They sat down while Samara brought them some tea.

"Are you all right?" Xena asked seeing her mother looked a little tired.

"Yes, just tired, I guess my illness is still here." Xena nodded.

"Drink your tea it will help." Cyrene nodded as Daniel ran in. He wedged himself between the two of them as he ate some meat he had gotten from Hadassa with bread and cheese. Hadassa brought more in and set it before them.

"Bunny likes it here."

"Did you feed bunny?" Xena asked. Daniel nodded.

"How long do you plan on letting your pets starve, Tabbai has been waiting for you to get back so you can take the animals to graze again. We agreed that was your job." Daniel nodded and enjoyed the company of his mother and grandma before he left.

"He's so obedient." Xena nodded. "The one difference between you and him." Cyrene laughed, as did Xena.

"Was I really that bad?" Xena asked. Cyrene shook her head no.

"I think you were much sweeter than Daniel."

"Do you know what happened to Gabrielle?" Xena asked.

"She went back home, she said if you ever turned up that's where you would find her. Home to the Amazons I mean. She went home to Potidaea, but things were to boring for her and they wanted her to marry. It wasn't what she wanted." Xena nodded.

"I feel so terrible about leaving her so suddenly, but I didn't know how I would be living and I couldn't drag her into that life." Cyrene nodded her understanding. "I probably should have let her make that choice for herself, but I didn't."

"Xena, all that matters to her is that you've come back and that you don't forget her. Gabrielle understands something happened and she just wished you would have trusted her enough to help." Xena nodded.

"Once you're better I think Daniel and I will take a trip down there."

"Why not leave him here?" Cyrene asked.

"No, it's complicated, besides he can't sleep when I'm not around. Only once have I ever had to leave him in the care of some one else and he didn't sleep the entire week I was gone and neither did I. He wouldn't eat or drink either." Xena didn't mention things kept catching on fire by accident and on purpose. Now she had to worry about Ares as well.

"Xena you have to let him have time away from you."

"I will in time just not now, now is not the time to start." Xena refused to talk about it after that. She distracted her mother with a game of Senet.

"Damn it, how did you win?" Cyrene asked.

"Skill," Xena replied with a grin. "Play Daniel you're bound to win against him." Daniel ran in at that moment all dirty." After he gets cleaned up." Daniel grinned at her and did as he was told. Everybody went up to the roof. Xena made dinner while they stared out at the stars. Torres came by and came up with his girlfriend Jasmine. They all ate dinner, but she seemed to hate having to share a table with Hadar, Hadassa, Samara, Tabbai, and Asher so they insisted on taking their dinner downstairs. Xena excused them with food enough to have seconds.

"Xena I was thinking you could create a large pond sort of for the ducks and geese." Xena nodded to her mother.

"It would look nice as well." Daniel joked with his Uncle and than later joined Cyrene in a game of Senet, which he won before they all, played Mehen.

"You know a fountain would look and work better," Jasmine put in later. Xena and Cyrene were silent.

"Yeah, I suppose, but it's a matter of being able afford a fountain." Jasmine nodded. After Mehen they played Chinese checkers with Daniel and Xena playing as one team.

"I win," Daniel muttered as Xena moved their last piece into position and snuggled up against her a little more.

"He's gifted that's the only reason he won even while he was half asleep." Xena shrugged.

"Well I think he has the right idea, come on I'll walk you home," Torres said to Jasmine. She nodded.

"Thank you for dinner it was very lovely." Xena nodded. Once they were gone Cyrene told her she didn't like her at all. She was rude to Hadar, Hadassa, Samara, Tabbai, and Asher. Xena nodded again as she rubbed Daniel's back. The dinner dishes had been cleaned up long ago and the leftover food stored.

"Here can you take him I wanna make sure everything is locked up. Cyrene nodded and took Daniel heading for his bedroom. He woke up almost immediately and started crying for Xena. She could hear him as she locked the front gate and the barn. Everything was quiet, but a little windy. She went back inside and closed the front door after locking it.

"Daniel calm down she's coming back," Cyrene tried to sooth. Xena walked in at that moment. He removed himself from Cyrene's arms and ran to Xena. She put him on the bed and now he calmly let Cyrene change him. She tucked him in and Xena sat on the edge of the bed next to him.

"What story do you wanna hear tonight?" Xena asked as he put his head on her lap and she rubbed his back.

"Make up a story about Me and Ducky."

"How about I tell you the story of the ugly duckling?" Daniel nodded. He was asleep halfway through the story. Monkey came in and curled up next to him. Xena left out with Cyrene.

"I've never seen a child so attached." Xena shrugged as she yawned.

"He'll grow out of it by the time he's thirteen," Xena replied sadly. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'll be fine dear you go on to bed." Xena nodded and watched her mother go into her room before she went in her own. Daniel eventually crawled in with her never one to stay in his room long.


	7. Swords

Swords

"Mommy what are you doing?" Daniel asked. Xena was making a samurai sword out of Damascus steel the same type of metal her chakram was made out of. She had been working on it for a week all day everyday. She was preparing to put it in the fire one last time.

"Making a Katana."

"Can I come in now?" Daniel asked.

"Yes." He came in just as she was putting it in some water to harden the steel. He watched her fit with a hilt and everything. He watched her test it out a few times. She even let him throw an apple and orange at her, which she sliced in half with no trouble.

"Can I see?" Daniel asked. Xena hesitated, but she explained that after this he was not allowed to touch swords. But she promised that when he was old enough and only than she would teach him to defend himself with a sword and no more.

"It has the same markings as your chakram," Daniel said marveling at the craftsmanship.

"Yep and it even has your name and Solan's." He smiled.

"Why?" Daniel asked curiously.

"To remind me why I fight to protect people when I can." Daniel smiled and nodded. "Come on you can help me make the saya." Daniel was very enthusiastic and helped her carve it out of imported wood from the ho tree. Woodcarving was something she had taught him to do as a child of three when he would get restless when he caught a illness that kept him in bed. He was careful and followed her instructions to the letter. Cyrene watched them marveling at their relationship.

"Dinner's ready," Cyrene called. Xena put her sword in a safe place as Daniel put the saya in a safe place. They washed their hands and faces before going inside with Cyrene. She had made her famous spicy chicken stew, which was full of rice, vegetables, and red hot chilli peppers. Among other spicy spices.

"Be careful Danny the stew is very hot," Cyrene warned. Daniel spooned the stew into his mouth. Everyone watched him except Xena as his face turned red before he smiled and continued eating. Xena ate as well. She was use to the burning power of her mother's spicy chicken stew and didn't go running for water like every one else except Cyrene and Daniel.

"Mommy can I have more peppers?" Daniel asked. Xena retrieved some from the kitchen. She let him take four before he put them in his soup and smashed them to release the flavor. His smile got wider once he tasted his stew again.

"I can't believe it didn't burn him, and even worse it wasn't hot enough for him," Cyrene commented to Xena sounding slightly offended although she didn't mind.

"Oh that stuff never burns him he can eat twenty-five chili peppers whole and not be burned." Cyrene shook her head.

"The boy is tough." Xena nodded.

The next morning they finished the saya together, but she made him leave while she created the accompanying dagger. He was all too happy to help her make the saya for that too. After that she carved him a staff and made arrows. He happily helped her with arrows and new horseshoes for Argo as winter came upon them. They spent the winter practicing the staff and bow even the crossbow.

"I like the long bow like yours mommy," Daniel said.

"I know, but sometimes a crossbow is very handy and quicker to shoot. Other times you want a long bow." Daniel nodded. "Come on that's enough practice we haven't made snow angels or snowman and women once. You should this is after all your first time in the snow." Daniel nodded enthusiastically as they did all this and even went sledding.

"Mommy how come all the other kids tease me for being rich, they say I talk funny. They don't understand Hebrew, I thought all poor people spoke it."

"No sweetie here everyone speaks a common language and that's Greek. You have to speak Greek and they are not poor, we have more because we grow stuff ourselves that can be sold for money or traded." Daniel nodded.

"Will they be nice if I speak Greek." Xena shrugged.

"They'll understand you and see how much a nice boy you are. Than you'll start making friends."

"If you say so Mommy," Daniel said so trusting of her. They went down the hill again, but Xena decided he was ready for the big hill where all the kids went anyway.

"Go join them, I'll watch for a little while." Daniel nodded and dragged the sled over to them. Xena walked around and nearly stepped on something. She bent down and brushed the snow off. Xena uncovered a hurt baby falcon and nursed it back to health, but when time came to set it free it would not go away.

In fact they developed a close bond like her and Argo. She trained it to warn her of danger a head of time and find Daniel, Cyrene, and Torres. She had a bird call specified for each member of the family member including herself if she needed help. While Daniel called her Falkee, she affectionately named her Nalani.

"Mommy I don't want to give Piggy away."

"Daniel, we have way to many pigs as it is, you can keep one girl and that's it. Plus there are a lot people who could use a pig or two. They need Piggy more than us." Daniel nodded sadly. She put him in charge of selling the pigs. He kept one girl.

"You did a good thing," Xena told him. He nodded. "Now pick a Ducky for dinner." Daniel's head hung even lower.

"Maybe Grandma will make an eggplant dinner. No meat." Daniel smiled and ran in to go ask her.

"Mommy look what I caught in my snares," Daniel called running up. He had three live birds." What are they?"

"You caught a pheasant, a quail, and a partridge?" Xena asked slightly impressed. He nodded. "Six years old and already a great hunter." Daniel smiled. "Come on I'll cook them for our journey." He frowned.

"No mommy I caught these as pets."

"You're kidding right." Daniel shook his head no. Xena sighed and he smiled and ran to build them their own coups. It took him all day when he caught males of both species. They had a rooster for the hen, but Xena couldn't stand being woken up by it every morning so once the hen had laid two nests and got plenty of baby chicks he met the axe in the yard.


	8. Solan

Solan

The next day they spent a whole day preparing a food satchel. Lots of cheese from the goats milk, two skins of cow's milk, one water skin, bread, Pork from Piggy Twenty who was very fat and ready to die in her opinion though he had several more years of his life a head of him. Xena even had some dried fish in the package a long with some apples and plums and Daniel's favorite vegetables.

"Can I wear my linen skirt?" Daniel asked. Xena nodded as she saddled Argo and put their satchel of food and saddlebags on her. Nalani flew down and landed on Argo's head. She was very gentle and Argo let her stay. Xena patted Argo as she greeted Nalani.

"Look mommy Bunny came back," Daniel called. Xena looked as he ran to go put Bunny back in her box.

"Mommy can I bring Kitty?" Daniel asked.

"No, Kitty stays here, we're already over packed we can't take kitty too."

"Can we take Doggy?" Daniel asked.

"No." Doggy yawned and settled himself in the sun. He obviously had no intention of traveling anyway.

"What about piggy?" Daniel asked.

"No."

"Ducky?" He asked.

"No, no Ducky, Chicky, Goosey, Bunny, Pete, Lamb, Sheepy, none of them." Daniel looked down. "I'm not falling for that today now come on its time we set off." Daniel nodded as she lifted him up onto Argo who remained perfectly still.

"Xena do you have his trousers and tunic and boots?" Cyrene asked. Xena checked the bag.

"Yeah, its all here. Are you sure you'll be fine because we can leave a little later."

"Xena you've been here almost a year any longer and you'll just be offending Gabrielle, now please go." Xena nodded. She kissed her mother good bye and hugged her. Cyrene kissed Daniel goodbye.

"Bye Grandma, take care of my pets for me."

"I will Danny don't worry." Daniel nodded. Xena got on behind him. Her sword on her back, her dagger on her left side while her chakram remained on its familiar place on her right hip. A quiver of arrows hung on the saddle horn and the bow on top of it could easily be lifted off. Daniel held his collapsible quarterstaff. They went through the gate and than galloped off after one more wave. They stopped in Potidaea that night.

"Tavern's are funny," Daniel commented as she tucked him in.

"Why do you say that?" Xena asked.

"The men walk funny."

"That's because they're drunk, which is something you should abstain from if you know what's good for you." Daniel nodded. She bent down to kiss his forehead.

"No, not until you get in bed too."

"Okay, hang on." Xena changed into her night tunic and got in bed next to him. She kissed his forehead.

"Are we gonna visit Solan?" Daniel asked lying on top of her after she had fallen asleep. Xena woke up just enough to hear him aske the question again.

"Yes."

"Did you tell Grandma?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, I did, now why aren't you sleeping?" Xena asked.

"Too noisy downstairs." Xena although having been away from the noisy sounds of a tavern for six years had spent five years commanding an army and the clanging of armor was nothing compared to the noise downstairs. She'd have to remember to choose her taverns more carefully.

"I know, but try, how about I sing to you." He nodded. She rubbed his back and sang to him until he had drifted off. In the morning they left town before the whole town had woken up. Gabrielle's father spotted her.

"Hey you warrior!" He yelled. Xena and Daniel were walking as she held his hand and told him a story featuring him as the hero. She didn't even think to look his way until he ran after them. "Warrior!"

"Can we help you sir?" Daniel asked politely with a smile on his face despite being up at such a early hour, but than again even though neither one of them were exactly morning people they got up early.

"Warrior where is my little girl, what have you done with her?" Herodotus asked.

"I haven't done anything with her, I just got back to Greece last summer. Now if you'll excuse us." Xena took Daniel's hand and led him away.

"Come back here I'm not through, now I wanna know where my daughter is," He demanded.

"When I find her I'll tell her you asked about her." Xena continued walking.

"Mommy who was that?" Daniel asked.

"Gabrielle's Father, but he doesn't like me much."

"Why, everybody love you mommy." Xena smiled down at him.

"In Egypt, but not here." They reached the trees that line the rode on either side now. They heard a noise and than a monkey jump down and land in the rode.

"Monkey!" Daniel exclaimed running to him.

"Nalani, you could have warned me about Monkey," Xena said to the Falcon who sat on a nearby branch. She lifted her wings as if to shrug and made Xena laugh a little. She held out her arm and Nalani and flew onto her exposed arm with no leather. She was very gentle and careful not to scratch her arm like she did in the beginning of their relationship. Daniel walked over with Monkey.

"Come on enough walking let's gallop a little." Daniel nodded with enthusiasm happy she wasn't sending Monkey back who sat on his shoulder. She put him and got on next to him as Nalani took flight again. They collapsed his staff and stored it safely on Argo before she galloped away at not to high a speed. Argo was carrying a lot and she didn't want to push her into exhaustion with the speed she really had in mind.

"We're here," Xena announced recognizing the centaur lands. Nalani screeched and Xena raised her arm as she held onto a sleeping Daniel. He didn't sleep much at night because of the ground and tired himself out during the day insisting on walking half the day. It was nearly night but there was light enough left for them to get to the village. Monkey held onto the saddle horn. Xena looked around some more and it looked like a war had gone on not too long ago, but it was hard to tell in the fading light. "Nalani search for intruders." Nalani screeched and flew off.

"Are we there yet?" Daniel muttered sleepily, but not waking up.

"Almost, I'll wake you up when we get there." As Monkey jumped down She turned him around so he was facing her and was more comfortable as much as possible. He wrapped his arms around her. Nalani came back soon and screeched. She did her screech that meant she was calling out how many miles. The camp was situated two or three miles away. Nalani flew off again.

"Monkey," Xena called as she kicked Argo into a trot. Monkey jumped onto her out stretched arm before she kicked Argo into a slow gallop. She slowed to a walk as they reached the village. Nalani screeched a warning just as Xena heard an arrow loosing it self from the trees. A patrol group. Xena caught the arrow just before it struck Daniel. She dropped it and got down with Daniel in her arms. Monkey jumped down too.

"Mommy," Daniel cried at being woken up and being pressed on the ground.

"Sorry baby we're under attack." She took off her chakram and sent it flying for the trees. It bounced off a rock and cut all the bow and arrows. It also struck some one's skull because when it lodged itself in a tree near her there was blood. The rest of the patrol ran out to attack. Monkey being the good monkey he is picked up the bow and dropped it along with several arrows. Xena grabbed it and lifted up. She shot down every man with her arrows. Daniel still lay with his mother over him. When they all lay dead, she told him to remain laying down and to close his eyes. He nodded and did as he was told. She stood up carefully listening, but all she heard was hoof beats in the distance and Nalani screeched a warning. She dislodged her chakram from the tree and wiped off the blood on the grass before putting it on her side. She hurried over to the men to inspect them.

"Callisto," She muttered with disgust. She pulled out her arrows just as the centaurs arrived. She heard them draw their bows. They didn't recognize her. Several men had swords and carried torches. The light revealed the dead bodies.

"Who are you and state your intentions," She heard Kaleipus's strong voice.

"Now you wouldn't hurt an old friend, would you?" Xena asked Kaleipus turning around after wiping the arrows off. She walked back over as he tried to remember who she was. "How quickly you've forgotten me once we became friends. Maybe we should go back to being enemies." He grinned seeing she was teasing and the chakram on her belt.

"Xena." She nodded. He was about to step forward, but stopped when he saw Daniel laying there with closed eyes. Xena bent down and placed the arrows back in their quiver.

"If you could remove your friends so he can get up," Xena said. Kaleipus nodded and motioned to his fellow centaurs who smiled at her remembering how she had defeated Dagnine six years ago. She smiled back at them. They blocked the bodies from view as Xena secured her quiver and bow back on the saddle. She lifted Daniel up off the ground. Kaleipus looked at her and she shook her head. "Thank you, shall we continue to the village?" He nodded. Monkey followed them. When they were far enough away Daniel was able to open his eyes.

"Mommy what's he?" Daniel asked almost immediately seeing Kaleipus's half-human form.

"Kaleipus is a centaur remember, he takes care of Solan." Daniel smiled at him.

"Can I touch him?" He asked. Kaleipus and Xena laughed. She looked at him and he nodded. She put him on the back of Kaleipus and he couldn't do anything but giggle and feel all over him. Kaleipus laughed as his light touches tickled him. They reached the village and she tied Argo to the post before she followed Daniel and Kaleipus inside.

"Well?" Xena asked not offering him any explanation about Daniel and he accepted that.

"This woman Callisto, she just started attacking us two weeks ago. She's been killing anyone who's tried to enter the village and anyone who tries to leave to call for reinforcements from anyone who'll give it. Gabrielle passed through and we hoped to call on the Allie treaty she had created between us and her amazon tribe, but news has been impossible to get to the outside world since no one returns." Xena nodded in understanding. "Do you know her?"

"Unfortunately yes, she's an enemy of mine and I can only hope she hasn't found out about Solan. Where is he?"

"He was at a friend's home, but knowing the men your arrival will be spread all over town and he'll come running. He's missed you."

"I've missed him." Daniel who was now leaning against Xena as he got back to his favorite activity which was sleeping, woke up a little.

"Solan here?" Daniel asked.

"No, go back to sleep," Xena said picking him up. He lay his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes.

"He knows?" Kaleipus asked.

"There are no secrets between Daniel and I. Same with Solan except one." Kaleipus nodded his understanding.

"Can we defeat this Callisto?" Kaleipus asked. Xena nodded.

"Unless she's gained immortality, yes, she's only human, right?"

"Right, but getting to her is the challenge."

"Leave her to me now that I'm here, you concentrate on defeating her army. I suspect as always this will end with you fighting one battle while I fight another. You'll crush her army while she runs in defeat. Or I kill her and her army runs or is crushed. Typical ending to all battles." Kaleipus nodded.

"I don't think she knows of Solan, I mean I've had the occasional man and most of the women ask after your visit, but I deny it. To tell them and not him would be unforgivable." Xena nodded. "I still feel the same way you know, but if I parish…" Xena held up a hand.

"I understand, but maybe we could work something out."

"Make your intentions clear." Xena nodded.

"My intentions are to merely tell him the truth, and I can only stay away for so long and frankly my will power is wasting away even before Daniel, who merely speeded up the process," Xena spoke. "I understand that this has become his home and that you love him like a son, and I think we should work it out where, if he'll have me, he can stay with me Amphipolis for awhile and return to the Centaur village."

"We shall settle this after the war."

"All right, but how long do you think a six-year-old can keep his mouth shut?" Xena asked. Kaleipus was silent as if giving it serious thought.

"We agree that you tell him but all living arrangements be discussed after the war no sooner and no later." Xena nodded and they shook on it. A door opened and out walked a centaur with curly hair. She couldn't forget the young centaur anywhere it was Xenon.

"Xenon!" Xena exclaimed. She had thought he would be with Ephiny.

"Aunt Xena?" He asked rubbing his eyes. Xena nodded as he hugged her with one arm. She talked to him for a moment catching up. He seemed unaffected by the war.

"Will you help us so we can send messages to mommy again?" Xenon asked. Xena nodded after he had met Daniel who loved Xenon immediately. He was only a year older.

"Yes, but something tells me you'll be seeing her soon before you can get another letter out." Xenon smiled. She kissed his forehead before he went back to bed.

"You know him well," Kaleipus commented.

"I was the one who pulled him out of Ephiny's womb before they were both dead."

"That explains the name and all." Xena nodded just as an Eleven-year-old Solan ran in.

"Xena!" Solan exclaimed. He started to hug her when he saw Daniel. He stopped and backed up.

"Who's he?" Solan asked.

"Daniel," Xena said drinking in the sight of her beautiful son, she hadn't seen him since he was five years old. He had grown so much in the pass six years just like Daniel. She forced her tears to stay back even though her eyes glazed over. Daniel woke up at the sound of his name.

"Solan?" Daniel asked her.

"Yeah, Solan's here, wake up." Daniel yawned and rubbed his eyes. He slid down and turned to his brother looking up at him. Daniel was short for his age, but was capable of doing anything.

"Hi Solan," Daniel said holding out his hand.

"Hi," Solan said. He looked at Xena. "Is he your son?"

"Yes, Daniel's my son," Xena answered. "Come on let's go somewhere private we have a lot to talk about before I do anything else." Solan nodded. Daniel followed them into Solan's bedroom. He set down his books. "Daniel go back in front, get to know Kaleipus but don't go outside."

"But I wanna hear," Daniel whined.

"Do you want me to give Monkey away?" Xena asked. Daniel's eyes went wide and shook his head no as he walked backwards out and closed the door. "Stop eavesdropping."

"Okay mommy." She heard him walking away. Solan sat on the bed and Xena turned towards Solan. She took a deep breath and was about to start when Solan spoke.

"Why did you have him?" Solan asked. "Don't you love me?" Xena looked at him confused. The words sounded like that of a jealous older sibling.

"What?" Xena asked.

"Why did you leave and never come back, do you know what I dreamed every night as I counted the days until you were suppose to come back to the village?" Xena shook her head. "I dreamed that you would adopt me and be my mother. I thought you loved me enough, but you don't. When I heard you had finally come back I thought maybe it wasn't to late for you to be my mother, but you found another son now." Xena's shoulder's slumped forward.

"Solan, I love you more than you'll ever know, but Daniel is not a replacement. Honest to the Gods I had every intention of coming back to you when I said I would, but sometimes the fates throw you curve balls that alter your life. My curve ball sent me Daniel and led me to Egypt for six years."

"You could've written to me."

"I wish I could have, but I had to end all contact with my friends and family in Greece, but I'm through running. My family and friends are not worth sacrificing when I can fight back. I should have come back a long time ago, but it's the choice I made and I can live with it because Daniel is alive today and happy."

"Was he in danger?" Solan asked.

"He still is, but I can't teach him to run, it's as much his problem as it is mine and we'll face it when the problem appears. I'm just sorry that you were disappointed and hurt. I didn't mean to hurt you." Xena rubbed the side of his face as she was bent down in front of him. She kissed his forehead.

"So you'll adopt me and be my mother. I know Uncle will be upset, but I'll come back and visit him often."

"Solan I won't adopt you."

"Huh?" He looked confused, upset, and hurt.

"Don't be upset, the reason I won't adopt you is because I'm your real mother." He was so confused he had no room to be upset or hurt.

"What?" Solan asked. She launched into the story of his birth. When she finished he finally understood. He told her to get out and that he hated her.

"I'll be at the tavern than." She held back her tears and went in to say goodnight to Xenon like she promised before she took Daniel to the tavern. She put on a brave face for those she passed even as she stabled Argo. They went straight up to their room.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Daniel asked concerned seeing a few tears escape as she undressed him. She didn't speak as she put him in his night tunic.

"Get some rest." Daniel nodded and lay down. She was so upset at Solan's words she neglected to tuck him in or give him a kiss so he didn't sleep, but watched her silently cry as she set on the edge of the bed. He was suddenly filled with anger at Solan for making her cry. There was a knock on the door and he shut his eyes and pretended to sleep. Xena wiped her eyes and face. She glanced back at Daniel before getting up. She opened the door to reveal a village woman.

"Kaleipus asks that you join his war council and sends his apologies." Xena nodded. "He says I am to stay with the child you brought with you."

"Yes, he's asleep, but if he wakes up and wants me bring him to me." She nodded.

"He's in the meeting hut." Xena nodded. She looked to make sure Daniel was safe in his bed before leaving out. The woman came inside the room and shut the door. She sat in a chair by the fire and began sewing. Daniel only had to wait for her to fall asleep. He crept out of bed and dressed himself. He left without anyone giving him a second glance. He found Kaleipus's hut and went inside and found Solan at the table eating dinner or more like picking at it.

"What are you doing here?" Solan asked with malice. Daniel pulled out his staff and put it together.

"You're gonna pay for making mommy cry."

"So what, what about what she did to me?" Solan asked angry that his six-year-old brother thought he could harm him. He grabbed his staff. He walked around the table so there was nothing between them.

"All you think about is your self all mommy ever did was love you, you were almost all she talked about. I didn't have to bring you up and ask everyday when we were going to see you so she'd miss you more so I could have a big brother. Now I don't want one because you're selfish and you made her cry."

"She left me," Solan said.

"She protected you just like she protected me. Now you must pay for your crime." Daniel attacked with such skill and almost caught Solan unaware but he was the son of the warrior princess too and his skills came almost naturally. They took the fight out into the streets. Solan had a bloody nose and Daniel had a head injury. They both landed an equal number of hits on the other's body. Solan was going for a roundhouse kick and Daniel was already ducking and about to sweep his unprotected leg out from under him. They hadn't realized that they had burst into the meeting hut. Xena caught Solan's kick and Daniel's staff.

"He started it!" They said at the same time realizing their surroundings and the force of nature that had stopped them.

"I don't care both of you to the tavern now and wait for me there for sentencing," Xena ordered. Her voice was devoid of emotion except anger. They started back. "Your staffs." They handed them over. They walked off and she turned back around.

"Well men if we're done here until morning." Kaleipus nodded and she left out. He did not follow her knowing this was something she had to do as a mother and not just to Daniel, but to Solan even if he felt like her rights were gone and Solan was his. The village woman woke up when she came in, she was shocked but left quickly at Xena's word. Xena pulled out her healer's kit after she set the staffs in the corner.

"Mommy…" Daniel started.

"Stop Daniel I'm not falling for your crocodile tears." She turned around and inspected his face. He had a nasty bump that had a open wound on it. It was bleeding and Solan had a bloody nose and cut lip. "Hold this to your nose and you hold this to your cut." They did as they were told. She mixed a poultice for their cuts and bruises.

"Mommy it's his fault, he made you cry." Xena stiffened. If she had of paid more attention she would have noticed he wasn't asleep, but she was too upset at Solan's words.

"It's your fault you attacked me."

"Shut up, Solan you're older you should know better and Daniel you're old enough to know better than attack anyone like that. I told you the staff was defense only, You're grounded until further notice." Xena turned to Solan after she applied the poultice to Daniel's wound. "And you, you're grounded for three months and you will do community service the entire time and for three weeks after."

"But…"

"Don't but me. Show me all your bruises. I've never been more disappointed in either of you." They did and she rubbed a different mixture of herbs in. Once their injuries were taken care of they both suffered their first spanking together than she made them stand in a corner to think about what they had done. When she thought that they had had enough time in the corner on their knees she made them hug and apologize just like her mother use to make her and Torres do. It never worked, but it was better they learn to apologize with a hug.

"I don't ever want to see you two fighting again, if I do that spanking you both got will feel like an insect bite is that understood?" They nodded. They walked Solan back to Kaleipus's hut. Daniel was silent as he dressed himself for bed. She didn't look at him at all. He lay down watching her as she changed.

"Go to sleep," Xena ordered.

"I can't until you kiss me good night and tuck me in." Xena walked over.

"After your appalling behavior you don't deserve it," Xena said as she tucked him in after she got in and kissed his forehead. He frowned as she turned away from him. He wanted to be held and sang too but he knew that wouldn't happen. He dropped off and she gave into her feelings and pulled him close.


	9. Callisto

Callisto

"Be nice to each other," Xena said as she left Daniel with Solan and Xenon in front of Kaleipus's hut. She got on Argo and rode off with Kaleipus and a scouting party.

"I'm not sorry about your nose," Daniel said.

"I'm not sorry about your head," Solan said.

"You two are bad and Solan you should be punished for what you said to Aunt Xena," Xenon said before galloping off to play kick ball with his friends. He offered an invite to Daniel who reminded him he was grounded. Monkey ran up and sat on Daniel's shoulder.

"Come on Monkey let's go."

"No, Xena said we had to stay here, and you're not getting me in trouble again."

"Yes, I am, I'm telling mommy you made me get lost and hit me."

"No, you're not." Daniel tried to go, but Solan grabbed him. They ended up wrestling. Daniel landed some punches and Solan hit back. They didn't notice Nalani take off and signal Xena. She came back at a gallop. She flipped off and landed a foot away. Monkey waved at her. Everyone went about their business because it was a common sight for boys to be wrestling. She pulled Solan off Daniel. Daniel started crying.

"I warned you two about fighting," Xena took them both by their shirt collars and took them inside.

"Well what was it this time?" Xena asked. They both talked at the same time. She held up her hand and they stopped." Solan you go first."

"He was going to leave and say that I made him get lost so I'd get in trouble I tried to stop him and we ended up fighting."

"Is that true Daniel?" Xena asked. Daniel looked down.

"He wanted to make me get lost, but I wouldn't let him and we started fighting." Xena looked at them both and she knew Daniel was lying. She shook her head.

"Solan, watch your brother he's not to leave this corner unless he has to pee. Understand?"

"He's not my brother." Xena stared at him with a blank face.

"Just watch him or you'll be in just as much trouble and you Daniel are in a lot of trouble when I return." She put him in a corner and left. Daniel did his time in the corner while Solan gloated.

"Solan you just added another week to your punishment," Kaleipus said. Solan stopped grinning and looked at his uncle in disbelief. "Daniel, Xena is waiting for you." Daniel walked out and put his head down when he saw his mother. She did not look pleased with him. After dinner he was taken straight to bed after a bath for them both.

"Mommy…" Daniel started. Xena stopped him.

"Look Daniel I understand why your upset with Solan, but you hurt me just as bad every time you fight with him. It breaks my heart to see you two fight."

"I'm sorry Mommy." He was genuinely ashamed of himself for hurting her.

"I'm glad, but you must let Solan and I work out our problem. He's upset because I didn't run away with him like I did with you."

"I don't like to see you cry and Solan needs to be punished for that."

"I know you think that, but Solan has to work out his feelings for me on his own. While I will never stop loving him once we help them defeat the army attacking the village we will respect his decision. Understand?" Daniel nodded. "Okay no more plans to get him in trouble, no more lies, and no more fighting." Daniel nodded. As he lay in bed thankful he didn't get a spanking he watched Xena clean her sword, dagger, and chakram until they shined.

"Mommy, why is the army attacking the village?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know yet honey, but I have a good feeling we'll find out soon." Xena walked to the window and watched the skies and she could see Nalani flying over head back and forth watching a camp fire, but not going anywhere near it. The fire was in the surrounding meadows. Xena knew without a doubt it was Callisto. She wanted her to know she knew she was in the village and that she was waiting for her.

"That answers that question."

"What question mommy?" Daniel asked.

"If Callisto and I are still bitter enemies."

"I thought Callisto died mommy." Xena turned and walked back over to him.

"I thought so too, but it she is very much a live." Daniel's eyes lit up with fear. The stories she told of Callisto made him fear her, she was his boogyman. "Don't worry, you have nothing to fear, don't I always win in the end?" Daniel nodded. She pulled the covers up a little higher and kissed his forehead. She went over to the bedside table and wrote a letter to Gabrielle.

_Dear Gabrielle,_

_I know I left you so suddenly six years ago and for that I am sorry for anything you went through at my expense. My plan was to surprise you, but that is no longer possible. I have stopped to see Solan first because he was on the way and my heart could stay away no longer. He knows I am his mother now, but that is not why my plans have changed in surprising you. Callisto is attacking the Centaur village. She has them trapped and they could not get a messenger out to your village to ask for help, so I am using the only means I can to contact you. Nalani, the falcon, she will warn you of dangers before they see you approaching the centaur village. Listen to her voice. I am deeply sorry and once this is all over I will answer all your questions in a place I deem safe enough for the important part of my explanation. Just know that I didn't leave you because I didn't trust you with my problem. For the first time in my life I fled in fear and that I regret because it has kept you away from me and everyone else I love._

_You're friend,_

_Xena _

_P.S. Tell Ephiny that Xenon is well and that I am protecting him as if he were my own son. He doesn't seem to be affected by the war, just misses his mother. _

Xena rolled it up. She picked up some string and went to the window. She whistled and Nalani flew over to her. She attached the letter around her neck.

"Nalani, take this important message to Queen Gabrielle of the Amazons. Make her read it do not take no for an answer." She went as far as to give Nalani complete directions and a description of Gabrielle, Ephiny, Eponin, and Solari. "Fly higher than the arrows that may come your way." Nalani seemed to nod her head before she took off into the dark at top speed and higher than any arrow could reach.

"XXEEEEENNNNAAAA!!" Callisto yelled in that annoying scream of hers." I'M COMING FOR YOU XENA, I'M COMING!" The wind blew fiercely and the fire illuminated Callisto's figure for a few moments. She was staring at the village as if waiting and hoping for some sign, but Xena had the candles out by now and could not be spotted amongst the darkness of the village to give the appearance that it wasn't well guarded when in fact it was.

"Mommy, she does scream like a banshee," Daniel said grabbing her leg. She patted his head feeling as if something was wrong.

"Get dressed hurry up." Daniel did as he was told. He put his cloak on and gathered Monkey up into his arms." Wake Monkey up, you're going to need your arms to carry your staff." A little food had Monkey up as Daniel grabbed his staff tightly. He was scared. Xena had already hooked her dagger and chakram back in their proper places, but her sword was out. He followed her a long with Monkey.

"Mommy…" Daniel started.

"Shh…be quiet, remember what I said about listening to your surroundings?" Xena asked. Daniel nodded and listened hard, but couldn't hear anything. Xena heard the wind though and it was screaming that something was a amiss. They went downstairs and found it empty except the tavern keeper. He took one look at her and drew his sword as he stepped closer to the bell that would wake the whole tavern.

"Not yet, but trust me you'll know when to ring that bell." He nodded. They went outside and walked to Kaleipus's hut. She knocked on the door and Kaleipus answered.

"What…" He started but Xena pushed passed him with Daniel. "What's going on?"

"Something isn't quite right, do whatever you have to, to gather the warriors, they should all be up and alert. If nothing happens tonight than good, but tomorrow morning we need to get the children somewhere safe. She knows I'm here and she will stop at nothing to get at me. Whatever reason she had before for coming here will be discarded unless it'll help her defeat me."

"Well it isn't the Ixion stone and even that can't defeat you." Xena nodded as a sleepy Solan and Xenon walked out of their rooms.

"Get your staff there may be trouble tonight." Solan dressed and did as he was told as well as Xenon.

"Solan you'll be in charge of leading the children to safety." Solan nodded at Xena's words. They left Kaleipus's hut knocking on doors and alerting people quietly especially as torches lit up near the trees and came towards them.

"Solan run ahead," Kaleipus ordered. Solan did so. Women rounded up the children and by the time everybody got to the back of the village where all the weapons lay Callisto's army had reached the edge of the village.

"XXXEEEENNNNAAAA!" Callisto screamed like a banshee.

"We have to hold them off until Gabrielle's forces get here, but that won't be until morning at least," Xena whispered to Kaleipus. He nodded his agreement as their torches went out. Xena looked around and spotted Daniel a few feet behind them.

"Go with the others," Xena ordered. He shook his head. She wanted to argue, but they would be heard. A lot of younger boys appeared with their weapons. They were ordered to go back, but all refused even Solan. Xena was very annoyed with them all. She moved off to the side in the darkness until she was behind the army. She let loose her chakram and killed several members of the army before she caught her chakram in a different place. Callisto turned around and saw Xena standing before her army or at least part of it really.

"Xena, you thought I would never find you."

"What are you doing here Callisto?" Xena asked.

"You know I really must thank you for leaving Xena or I never would have been able to trick your little friend into giving me Ambrosia."

"Ambrosia?" Xena asked. Callisto nodded.

"Oh yes, to defeat her little friend, but oh she was smart locking me in lava, but as you can see I have escaped."

"How?" Xena asked. Callisto laughed.

"That's my business Xena, now its time for you to die."

"Fine we'll fight, but answer me this," Xena replied as she walked towards her.

"What?" Callisto asked.

"Why here, why this village?" Xena asked.

"Well I had to start somewhere and well when I found out about Solan, I knew this place was perfect." Xena remained silent.

"Well you're going to have to come through me first."

"Fine by me." She ran at her and they fought." You can't kill me Xena," she taunted. Xena kicked her ass though.

"I'll be back Xena." Callisto declared when a rain of arrows started to take out her soldiers. Archers kept her army at bay, but Xena had a feeling the archers were not why she was holding back. The women and children stayed away. Xena and Kaleipus to get the young boys to go protect the children hiding in the caves.


	10. Amazons

Amazons

"We're dead if we don't fight now while we still have them out of the village," Kaleipus said. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather die on the battle field than died cornered in the back of my village."

"We'll fight and we'll fight right now."

f"What?" He asked. She pointed to Nalani. "What does a damn bird have to do with us?"

"That bird carried a message to the amazons, that damn bird just signaled that our reinforcements have arrived."

"Men come on we strike now gather your arms." They hurried to the edge of the village and unsheathed their swords as they spotted the amazons just coming up behind Callisto's army, which had just gathered. Her numbers were huge but they could take them.

"Archers!" Xena yelled taking up her bow made up the finest wood in Greece. Her arrows were made with the strength to rip through several warriors. They were in for a surprise.

"Black out the sun with your arrows," Kaleipus ordered. "Fire!" They let loose their arrows. Some shooting their arrows to rain down while others shot directly at them. They started falling as the amazons loosed their arrows as well. The army split up. Many fell under their arrows. Some centaurs threw oil pots at them. They were being hit as Xena lit her arrow on fire. She waited carefully for the man most important to be hit before she shot him. The arrow whizzed pass those on fire and the oil caught. She struck the important man in the shoulder and he screamed as he ran around on fire setting others on fire.

"Launch more at the men attacking the amazons and charge!" Kaleipus ordered. They used the catapult and Xena's excellent skills had them on fire in no time before she charged into battle slicing through their skin like butter and their armor did not give them much protection. She threw her chakram at Ephiny's attacker when she met her in the middle and he almost killed her.

"Thanks," Ephiny said as Xena beheaded a man attacking her from behind.

"No problem," Xena said grabbing her chakram." Hang on." Ephiny nodded. "Amazons duck!" Xena yelled. Amazons ducked as she released her chakram and taking out a whole row.

"I see you haven't changed a bit in battle."

"Never," Xena replied.

"Xenon?" Ephiny asked.

"Safe for now." Ephiny nodded.

"Thank you."

"No problem you would do the same for me."

"Still I must thank you anyway, he needed someone he could trust here and I'm glad it was you. If all else failed I can always count on you to get him out of here at least. Xena smiled and nodded as they fought back to back.

"Gabrielle when she forgives you she plans to leave with you," Ephiny said.

"No, she can't do that, she's built a life for herself there. I came to apologize not make her leave her home."

"Well it doesn't matter," Ephiny said.

"I'm going to tell her to stay." Ephiny shook her head.

"What I mean is when Callisto escaped so did Velasca, we had no idea that Callisto has escaped as well.

"Who's she?" Xena asked. Ephiny explained. "So you've had your hands full which would explain why you didn't notice that Xenon was not sending any letters."

"Yes, it's a civil war, Gabrielle is suggesting she take all the loyal amazons to better-unclaimed land. After the massacre Velasca went on and turned some of our fellow amazons against us we're all for it rather than kill our sisters." Xena nodded.

"I know where you can go and keep Gabrielle with you."

"Where?" Ephiny asked.

"Later, Ephiny head for the caves gather the women and children I have a plan to stop Callisto and I'm going to need her to head there." Xena said when she spotted Callisto burning some centaurs. Ephiny saw where she was looking and nodded. The battle seemed to avoid Xena as she stared at Callisto who stared at her eyes demonic.

"Let's settle this," Xena growled. They fought. Callisto realized despite being a Goddess she was losing. She held her stomach and breathing a little hard she began to laugh.

"Go ahead Xena win this war, but by the time you're done your son will be dead." She disappeared.

"Callisto!" Xena shouted. She ran through the battle for the caves. She whistled as she ran through the village and Argo came to her she flipped onto her riding her bareback at top speed. Argo weaved through the trees expertly. Argo came to a halt in front of the caves and she flipped off. She saw Ephiny off to the side with the children as she went into the cave.

"Solan!" She heard Callisto calling. "Solan, come out and meet your Auntie Callisto." Xena looked at her bloody sword and read the names of her children. She felt like her energy had been replenished.

"It ends here and now Callisto." She put her sword away after flinging her blade a certain way that made the blood slide right off.

"Please Xena," Callisto said turning. "You can't defeat me." They circled each other.

"Yes, I can Callisto, because where there is a will there's a way. If I die protecting my son so be it. Everyone's blood is on your hands anyway not mine." Callisto laughed.

"See that's where you're wrong Xena, everyone who dies today and before they're blood is on your hands not mine." Xena shook her head.

"Bad people go to Hell Callisto and when you died that's exactly where you went so you see no matter how many times you say that they're blood is on my hands its really on yours or else you would have gone to the Elysian Fields with your family." Callisto got angry and started throwing light bolts and fire balls at her. Xena did a series of flips out of the way. They fought in hand to hand combat as rocks tumbled down around them.

"You're trying to trap me in here, while you die I'll have to smell your rotting corpse."

"On the contrary Callisto, I've chosen to live." Xena released her and back flipped to the entrance before diving out of the small opening left. The rocks closed the opening and Callisto screamed as the rocks fell and trapped her.

"Damn to think if I had kept that baby weight I wouldn't have made it," Xena said thankful she had chosen to continue to practice her warrior skills. She walked out of the cave and Daniel ran to her. She held up her hand and stopped him from hugging her. She would not cover him in blood.

"Ephiny keep them here until the battle is over, Callisto is trapped." Ephiny nodded and pulled Daniel back. Xena whistled for Argo and she came over. "Someone will come to alert you." Xena rode off on Argo quickly. The battle still raged. She joined it and after another hour of fierce battle Callisto's army retreated in fear. The ground was scorched by fire and soaked in blood. Xena sent an amazon to tell Ephiny of the battle and to hold off until the bodies had been cleared and to get the healer who was with them.

"Quickly gather the wounded and put them in the meeting hall," Xena ordered. "These men and women need to be treated immediately."

"Hurry some of them don't have long, if you can walk on your own do so!" The amazon healer yelled. She looked to Xena who nodded to say that she would give her a hand later. Gabrielle and her were face to face.

"Later, right now let's see to the wounded." Gabrielle nodded. Nalani came down and landed on Xena's arm when she held it up. "Make sure Callisto's army leaves the valley." Nalani screeched and flew off. Gabrielle smiled at Nalani and hurried off helping an amazon warrior on the way.

"Xena what do we do with the wounded men of her army?" a centaur asked.

"Take them in with the wounded amazons and men of your village, we will show them compassion and mercy if they'll ever change." He nodded and ordered the men to take their enemies wounded as well.

"Eponin, Solari!" Xena called. They came over and they hugged.

"No time for greetings just yet, help me get the dead to a spot where the children can't see them from the village." They nodded.

"Just beyond the trees is good, no one can see anything from the village except maybe you." Xena nodded to Solari who gathered some men and women to start helping move the dead.

"Make sure they're actually dead!" Eponin yelled so they all heard her. "Separate them into three groups Amazons, Centaurs and their men, and enemy." They nodded.

"Xena, they need you in the meeting hall, its Kaleipus he's wounded!" A centaur yelled.

"Go I've got her, " Eponin said. Xena nodded and gently lowered their fallen sister. She hurried to the meeting hall. Kaleipus had a chest wound. She did all she could, but he was going to die there was no doubt about that. He gave command to his most trusted friend than he turned to Xena.

"Xena no matter what he says or does raise him. He loves you I see that, I know his dreams, take him." Xena nodded.

"I will, I'll do what I should have done at the beginning." He nodded.

"Tell him I love him."

"I will." Kaleipus took his last breath and left peacefully knowing everyone was safe.

"He's gone move him to the other room where his body will be prepared." They nodded. Once everyone had been treated she washed all the blood off of herself and took several deep breaths. She had to face them sometime and now was the time." She entered Kaleipus's hut where a shrine had been set up. Solan was staring at it with tears in his eyes. Daniel ran to her. She hugged him, but didn't pick him up. She whispered something into his ear and he sat down and waited even though he wanted to be in her arms.

"Solan," Xena said. He turned around and he finally let his tears roll down his cheeks. He hugged her tightly. "Solan…"

"No, don't say you're sorry its over, you're all I have left now and I won't ruin it by being mad at you." He was near hysteria.

"Its okay you had a right to be mad, and you're anger would not have ruined anything." She kissed his forehead. "Kaleipus was a good man and wouldn't want to see you crying over him while he was in the Elysian fields. He told me to tell you that he loves you."

"I love him too."

"The dead can hear our thoughts, he knows you love him now more than ever." Daniel walked over and hugged her leg. He figured they had had enough of an emotional talk without him. Solan looked at him.

"I am really sorry about the bump now and the bruises. Can we be friends now." Daniel stared at him and his hand. Xena watched it all silently hoping her son made the right choice.

"No," Daniel said. Solan frowned, as did Xena. "We can be brothers." They all smiled as they hugged. She hugged and kissed them both.

"I want you two to stay here while I go talk to Gabrielle we have unfinished business. I'll bring back dinner it seems." Solan nodded, but Daniel did not. Solan started to teach Daniel how to play marbles to distract him after he protested. Gabrielle was with Ephiny, Eponin, and Solari in the hut Ephiny used when she stayed in the village a few days.

"Now how about those greetings," Eponin said. Xena smiled at her and they all hugged even her and Gabrielle.

"Okay, why don't we just start with your explanation." Xena looked at Ephiny, Eponin, and Solari.

"Come on Xena we've gotten better at eavesdropping on you two even if you weren't here, we may as well as know," Ephiny replied.

"Fine, you always find out everything eavesdropping or not," Xena retorted. They laughed and shrugged. "Let's do this at Kaleipus hut someone is waiting for dinner." They nodded and all took dinner at Kaleipus's hut. Xena offered them no explanation until all three boys were off to bed.


	11. Explanation

Explanation

"So when I got to Egypt I decided to stay and lose myself in the crowds of Alexandria, but eventually I ran into Cleopatra so that didn't exactly happen. While I preferred to be the simple fisherman I basically ended up helping her keep order every so often."

"You must be very important in Egypt," Eponin stated. Xena shrugged.

"Sort of everyone knows me."

"You've acquired a lot of wealth," Gabrielle commented lazily. Xena shrugged again.

"Yeah, Cleopatra has a tendency to give gifts as she calls them when I won't take payment. Its been to say the least a dull life without you guys, I've missed you all dearly." That wasn't completely true with Daniel there was never a dull moment, but when he decided to go off by himself there were times.

"Does he know?" Gabrielle asked. Xena shook her head no.

"Don't want him too, I pray he never finds out and if he does Daniel will have already chosen his path in life and not easily made into be something he's not with gifts and false promises." Monkey came through the window and hopped up onto the table. Gabrielle jumped.

"What the hell is that?" Gabrielle asked.

"Monkey."

"Monkey?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yeah, they have them a lot in Egypt, I've seen them before," Ephiny said. "What's his name?"

"Monkey," Xena replied." Daniel hasn't been very creative with names."

"You say that as if there is more." Xena looked at Gabrielle.

"More doesn't cover it, before we left he insisted we keep a partridge, pheasant, and quail as pets. He even found them husbands."

"You're kidding?" Solari asked. Xena shook her head.

"I wish, but that doesn't account for the pigs, the goats, rabbit, chickens, geese, ducks, dog, cat, and if I'm lucky he won't be befriending mice."

"Mommy look what I found." Daniel came out with a mouse.

"Speak of the devil." She took the mouse from him. "No."

"But..."

"No, I don't care I draw the line at rodents."

"Please, please..." Xena shook her head.

"No, now go back to bed I'll set him free in the woods." Daniel poked out his lip and hung his head walking slowly back to his room. Gabrielle laughed as Xena threw the rat out the window.

"Oh he's good and here I was going to teach him all the faces to getting around you." Xena sat down.

"Please don't he's come up with enough on his own." Monkey jumped on her shoulder. He handed her a nut and she cracked it for him.

"Can he do tricks?" Ephiny asked picking up a piece of fruit and offering it to Monkey. Xena nodded.

"Yeah, Monkey's smart, Monkey give Ephiny a kiss." He went over to her cheek and blew a raspberry. They all laughed.

"Oh yeah a real stinker," Ephiny said laughing.

"Monkey can you bring me an apple?" Xena asked. Monkey did so. "How about a glass of wine." They watched as he grabbed the right pitcher and even cleaned out the cup with a cloth. She sliced the apple for him and he ate them sitting on her shoulder and even drunk some wine. When he was done he ran out the window to use the bathroom before joining Daniel in Solan's room.

"So you said you knew a place where we could move too, Velasca's not worth it," Gabrielle said. "We've got enough wounded sisters as it is."

"Yes, there's lots of unused land in Amphipolis and lots of room for you to have the same amount of land you had before with excellent hunting grounds."

"Perfect, we'll give Velasca the mask as long as she let's those of us who want to go, go and join another tribe."

"I'll take the message," Xena said.

"Xena no you could be killed."

"Yes, but she wants you right, so if I go she'll listen. I'm practically neutral. Besides I stand a better chance at surviving."

"Fine," Gabrielle conceded. Xena nodded. The days passed and they performed many burials, the amazon burials were the best. Solari accompanied Xena back to the village. They stopped in the spot where the amazons with Gabrielle still waited keeping Velasca at bay as much as possible.

"Retreat to the centaur village, we will no longer stay here we've found some place better not cursed by a false God," Solari told them. "We'll worship Artemis in peace." They cheered and gathered all the children. Several centaurs met them with wagons to carry the wounded.

"Solari go with them," Xena said.

"No, I will stay and advise you whether you like it or not." Xena sighed as they walked on. They entered the village where Velasca sat on the throne she had rebuilt. Everything was in ruins. Very few, but a lot of Amazons bowed before her along with the very few scattered children.

"Solari you've come to join us and you bring friends."

"No, I come with the messenger for Gabrielle, she is a neutral party, I'm just here to make sure she stays in one piece." Xena bowed to Velasca slightly, but not meaning it.

"What's the message?" She asked.

"That you can have the crown." Velasca laughed.

"I've already taken it." Xena nodded.

"I see that, but she means you can have it she will not fight you for it. The village, the amazon lands its all yours. She's left the land in fact they've all left. They're so called Queen may have deserted them, but they will not stay here either. They're moving on to the northern amazons and spreading out across the world."

"You mean they will be leaving," Velasca said. Xena nodded.

"Only on the condition that you let them and whomever here who wishes to leave, leave safely." Xena looked at the bowed amazons. One had a baby and she was silently begging them to take her child at least. Not everyone was here of their own free will. Solari went to the woman.

"I'm reclaiming my child, she will not live here without me."

"Fine take her, but no one else leaves this village, they're mine. Go what do I care I have what I want now. I am a God now after all." Solari took the child. "And while you're at it take that sniveling child as well I won't have any weak children among us." Xena picked up the young girl.

"Fine I will return to the centaur village and tell her you accept. She will depart immediately." They left and quickly.

"Do you know this child?" Xena asked.

"Just orphaned, but her Aunt will take her in for sure. She loves her like her own four." Xena nodded. They returned in the middle of the night. The next morning both children were given to relatives.

"She accepts, but I say we prepare to leave though for a quick get away she seems likely to change her mind if some of her amazons run which I think some will," Solari said.

"We have nothing but the clothes on our backs and weapons," Gabrielle said.

"Good than barrow some wagons for your wounded that can't walk, but can survive the trip." They nodded. Most of them set off that night with torches. As expected the mother of the baby showed up. Soon several more followed with tales of being forced to worship her. Gabrielle forgave them all and sent them on their way over the next few days. Xena sent Gabrielle off with Solan and Daniel.

"Don't worry I'll be fine, I'm just going to stay and finish up some last minute things." Daniel nodded and went off with Gabrielle, Solan, and Xenan.

Velasca never came and seemed to not notice so Ephiny, Solari, and Eponin left. They caught up with their fellow amazons pretty fast. Xena was helping the last of the wounded into a wagon when Artemis appeared before her in the now empty hospice.

"Xena, you've returned." Xena looked at her. "I want to ask you a favor. Do you accept?"

"First let's hear the favor?" Xena replied thinking that this was one of the worst things to happen to her since she got back aside from the war. This could definitely get back to Ares if he didn't already know she was back.

"I want you to free my wayward amazons. They won't follow you or cause trouble that I will see too, but I want you to help me rid them of Velasca."

"What can I do?" Xena asked.

"Push her back into the lava, near the ruins."

"How am I going to get her there?" Xena asked.

"My plan is to make you look like Gabrielle and draw her to the ruins and than I will handle it from there."

"Why, everyone else is safe." Artemis shook her head.

"No, Velasca only wants you guys to think that before she strikes again. She is determined to kill Gabrielle. If you do this I will help you shield your presence from my brother, whenever he searches for you thinking perhaps maybe you came back I can prevent him."

"You have a deal than." Soon she looked exactly like Gabrielle. She found her presence good enough to make Velasca chase her. She glanced back to see Artemis talking to the four hundred or so Amazons left in the village. A very select few were leaving the village already along with the children. She kept running until she got the ruins where she was nearly sucked into a tornado. Thankfully she got her self out of that predicament. She got on the rope bridge.

"Any day now Artemis, any day," Xena said as she got to the middle and turned to face Velasca when she taunted her. She grinned at Velasca as the spell wore off and she appeared as herself. She took out her sword.

"You!"

"Yes me."

"Not just a messenger, who are you really Artemis?" Velasca asked with a grin. "Because frankly I've been waiting for you." Xena grinned as Artemis appeared with her silver bow and drew a silver arrow.

"No, I'm Artemis and you made the biggest mistake of your life." She loosed her arrow quickly as Velasca turned around. She had no time to think as the arrow lodged itself in her heart and the sound of a shattered mirror filled the air as she shattered. Xena felt the full force of the blast as shards of Velasca actually cut the side ropes of the bridge and sent her tumbling over towards the lava. She screamed as she missed grabbing the last rope, but found herself landing on soft grass.

"What the hell..." Xena said breathing hard and feeling her body to make sure she was all there and feeling the grass around her to be sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Sorry about that, it happens," Artemis said. "But you're all right."

"Oh thank...well you I guess." Artemis laughed and gave her a hand up.

"You will find four or five Amazons waiting for you with the ten or so children left in the village. Take good care of them." Xena nodded and Artemis sent her back to the village. Soon she set off with everybody feeling slightly weird, but okay. She found all the amazons waiting about seven miles away from the centaur village.

"Finally, we wanted to wait for you and take care of our wounded who got tired pretty quickly. Some of us have already set off again," Gabrielle informed her as she walked over with Daniel questioningly.

"I see, well I came with the last of the wounded and some escapees from the village and all of the children from there." There was cheering though there were some worried faces.

"Artemis shielded us," one woman told them and they nodded happily. When they reached Potidaea, Xena told Gabrielle to stop and see her parents. They hugged her and they gave her a few days with her family before Ephiny, Eponin, and Solari knocked on the door demanding their Queen be returned to them.

"Guys, not so hostile," Xena said. "But seriously Gabs we gotta go." Gabrielle nodded.

"I'll come back and visit now, I won't be far away."

"No, I will not have you taken away from us again."

"Goodbye dad," Gabrielle said. She kissed her mother and her sister Lila, who ran after them a little later.

"I've come to help you settle in." They smiled. "Mom made me promise to come back and Dad doesn't know." They laughed. They finally made it to Amphipolis where Cyrene showered both her grandchildren with hugs and kisses news of their fierce battle had already reached them.

They built their village in the forest only coming into town for the market and to visit with new friends they had made. It became a peaceful existence.


	12. The prophecy

The Prophecy

One year ago

"Niobe, are you sure the warrior princess is back?" Demos asked his blind daughter. He was old and she was young, but he did his best to protect her. While her visions had been small it was eight years ago she had, had a powerful vision. It had left her a bed for a week with worry and now her worry was back. He thought back to that rainy night eight years ago. More specifically he thought of the prophecy.

_"In two years time the one called the Destroyer of Nations will give birth to the ultimate destroyer. He will destroy the world. If his father raises him, his father will rule supreme instead and all of mankind will perish. He will destroy mankind and he will enslave the Gods and rule supreme in Heaven and Earth. But if…" ___

"I'm sorry sweetheart, what did you say?" Demos asked.

"I said she is back and if he finds out we're doomed."

"Than we must tell her, she will fight if she knows," Demos said. Niobe nodded.

"I'll go saddle the horses." Demos nodded and watched his daughter walk out carefully. Even though she was blind she had learned to do a great many things. Demos paced the carpet in front of the hearth.

"Oh my we have to tell her before its too late," Demos muttered loudly. Ares appeared behind him and he turned and bumped into him.

"Ares!" He squeaked. Ares lifted him up by his collar.

"What do you know about the warrior princess?"

"Nothing."

"You lie, you said you must warn her, tell me!"

"Please, please don't hurt me."

"I'll do more than hurt you if you don't tell me." Demos nodded as he started to sweat. He repeated the prophecy.

"So she has my son, well, we'll just see about that." Ares was blind with power. He pulled out his sword and raised it ready to strike down Demos, so that he couldn't warn Xena.

"Wait you said you wouldn't kill me if I told you," Demos cried.

"Now when did I make that promise?" Ares asked. Demos eyes went even wider as he realized Ares had never actually said that. Ares brought his sword down and split Demos head in two and cut his neck. Blood flowed like the Nile as he disappeared with an evil laugh. Niobe walked in and her bare feet touched blood as she called for her father. She tripped over his body and upon feeling his missing head she began to scream.

Present

"How's the corn coming?" Solan asked Tabbai.

"Good, we'll have plenty for the winter."

"Good," Solan said. Tabbai nodded and walked off. Solan approached the forge where Xena was making Gabrielle a pair of sais like she asked.

"That's really good," Solan commented. Xena nodded as she put a crystal onto the ends of the hilt.

"Think she'll like it?" Xena asked.

"Definitely, its really good, I didn't know you were so skill in making weapons." They had been back six months and one of Xena's pass times was making weapons that turned out really good.

"Neither did I, I had to concentrate really hard to make my katana and the dagger. Its like I improved over night."

"Yeah, I'm bored," Solan said. Xena looked up at him.

"Well why don't you take these Gabrielle, you can even ride Argo."

"Really?" Solan asked. Xena nodded as she boxed both sais after polishing them and testing them. "Yes!"

"But you are to ride straight there and back, no detours."

"Awe," Solan said. Xena handed him the box.

"No detours." Solan nodded and ran to saddle up Argo. Xena washed her hands and face as Cyrene came into the yard.

"Oh good Xena I was hoping you were home," Cyrene said stopping to wait for the Geese to go by.

"Yes, did you need something?" Xena asked.

"Yes, I already sent your brother to Olynthus, but I need you to go to Pella, a messenger just came and apparently my shipment of port can't be delivered to me, but I need it in two days before I run out."

"I'll set out for it as soon as Daniel comes back." Cyrene nodded and handed her the money and told her exactly where to go. She hurried back to the tavern. Solan came out leading Argo.

"Hurry back with Argo we're going to Pella for my mother." Solan nodded as he got on Argo. He rode her out towards the Amazon village. Xena heard meowing and it sounded like Kitty was in distress. She walked over towards the small olive tree Hadar and Hadassa had bought and planted last year.

"Oh no Kitty," Xena groaned seeing Kitty was nursing several black and white kitties, except one was all black like her mother.

"Yay Kitty!" Daniel exclaimed coming up behind her.

"Mommy, Kitty had four babies."

"I know, I see." Xena got Kitty's bed and placed her and the kittens inside near the fire, but not too close.

"Oh I see she did like that cat that's always hanging around her," Hadassa said.

"Yeah, a little too much if you ask me," Xena commented as Doggy walked in sniffed the kittens and than sat down protectively near them.

"Its not so bad," Samara said coming to see them.

"So you say," Xena said heading for the kitchen. She got milk for Kitty and set it down near her and once the kittens were sleeping she stood up and drank her milk. Daniel got her some fish as well.

"Did you put the animals back?" Xena asked. Daniel looked wide-eyed and shook his head.

"Doggy!" Daniel exclaimed. He ran out and Doggy looked at him, but didn't follow. Xena followed Daniel outside however and lucky for him Asher was keeping the animals away from the garden.

"Daniel," Xena groaned. Xena rounded up all the pigs and used her staff to herd them back to their sties. The goats went to their places near the kitchen where Samara came out to milk them to make cheese. Hadassa got the cow and milked her. Daniel gathered the sheep.

"What's this?" Xena asked going over to a brown crate. Daniel ran over and blocked her way.

"Nothing Mommy," Daniel said a little too sweetly.

"Let me see," Xena said sternly.

"Mommy its nothing," Daniel said.

"Daniel," Xena said. She crossed her arms and gave him a hard look. He tried to smile, but faltered as he presented her with the crate. She opened it and found a turtle inside. The poor reptile was old and dying.

"Where did you get it?" Xena asked.

"I found it," Daniel said.

"Go set him free."

"But…"

"No buts the poor thing is dying, let him die in the wild." He tried to give her a pout, but she just pouted back and he shuffled off pouting all the way hoping she would change her mind, but she didn't. Soon he came back still pouting.

"Cheer up we get to go to Pella."

"What's in Pella?" Daniel asked.

"It's the capital of Macedonia."

"Capital?" Daniel asked as a small smile filled his face.

"Maybe I should leave you here." Daniel shook his head.

"No, no mommy I wanna go, I wanna go." He was jumping up and down.

"Okay, okay calm down, but I'm watching you." Daniel nodded. He helped her get the wagon out of the barn. She informed everyone except Tabbai that they would be gone a day or two at the most. Solan arrived and they hitched Argo up to the wagon.

"Gabrielle loved it," Solan said. "She wanted to thank you personally, but she said she'd wait until you came back from Pella." Xena nodded. They waved to Asher, Hadassa, Hadar, and Samara. They left.

Pella was full of life during the day and they were lucky enough to catch some of it in the late evening. Solan and Daniel took in everything. Xena picked a nice quiet tavern that didn't have drunken patrons. They ate dinner and went upstairs to bed.

"Mommy, I don't wanna sleep," Daniel said as she changed into her night tunic.

"You never want to sleep," Xena replied getting into bed. Solan lay on the other side yawning.

"I like sleeping," Solan said as Xena yawned.

"Me too."

"No, no sleep," Daniel said.

"Okay, how about a story?" Xena asked. Daniel nodded as he crawled onto her and got comfortable. Her right arm supported him as he lay against her and Solan sat up and moved closer so that her left arm was around him. She told them a story and while Solan was quite content to sleep, Daniel was not. She gave him his kiss and tucked him in, but he lay awake.

"Maybe if you be still you'll sleep," Solan suggested the tenth time Daniel had woken them both up.

"I'm hungry, Mommy can I have some peppers."

"No, its too late to eat, its time to sleep." Silence fell over the room again. By dawn Daniel was singing every possible song he could think of and Xena had a headache from lack of sleep and Solan just wanted to kill his brother from waking him out of what could have been perfect slumber.

"I'm sleepy," Daniel said and rolled over and went to sleep. Solan and Xena lifted up on their elbows and stared at him in disbelief. They tried everything to wake him up, but he slept right on through it.

"Stinker," Xena mumbled as she got dressed after a bath.

"Stinker doesn't even cover it," Solan grumbled. Xena nodded. The tavern keeper knocked to tell them they had to go because he was touchy like that as if he had other customers. Solan grabbed the saddlebags and Xena picked up Daniel. He had such an angelic face, but sometimes she could swear he was the devil. They had breakfast, which he woke up for, which Xena viewed purely as a Gabrielle move and went back to sleep. Before they headed to load the wagon full of port.

"I wanna go home," Daniel whined.

"Okay, sweetie calm down, they should be done in a few minutes." Daniel got grumpy and surly. Xena could tell he was still tired. He leaned against her leg.

"I'm tired."

"Why don't you and Solan go see a puppet show over there," Xena suggested. Daniel didn't reply. Solan however had perked up at the idea after observing several people and wishing he was in his nice warm bed where Daniel couldn't keep him up all night.

"I'll go if he won't," Solan said. Xena handed him four dinars and gently pushed Daniel toward Solan. He took his hand and they walked off.

"Are you almost done?" Xena asked with a sigh. She wanted to go home too and get some rest with luck.

"All most your mother has a pretty big order and your wagon is large, but not that large."

"I'm not coming back so either it all fits or next time you give my mother a discount for not giving her all the port." He nodded noting her underlying threat. Especially when she took out her sword and began to polish it.

"That's a fine sword you have there, how much would your husband sell it for?" Xena looked up to spot a slightly handsome man with a nose that had been broken quite a few times or else the healer had failed to set it correctly. She didn't like him for his suggestion that the only reason she had a sword was because it was her husband's sword.

"I don't have a husband, it's my sword, and it's not for sale." He looked at her slightly amused.

"You're a curious woman than."

"I'm sure I am," Xena replied before going back to her business, but he didn't move. "Is there something else you wanted because you're blocking my light and you're wasting my time you've been dismissed." There was an in take of breath from the man loading the wagon and the two men who had come up behind him.

"I'll have you know I am Prince Aristo and no one talks to me like that."

"Well I just did and I don't particularly care who you are exactly as long as you're not bothering me, but you are." He laughed.

"I like you, but where did you get your sword?" Xena now gripped it comfortably.

"I made it myself," Xena answered with a shrug. She was bit intrigued he had not walked away yet. Prince Aristo nodded and walked off. Xena looked over at the puppet show to see Solan looking around frantically.

"I'll be right back." She put her sword in its sheath and walked over.

"Where's Daniel?" Xena asked.

"I dunno, one minute he was here and the next gone." Panic rose in Xena as she tried to reason he had just run off like he often did in Egypt or Amphipolis without thinking. She blamed herself for not paying more attention to him when they traveled.

"Daniel!" Xena called.

"Daniel!" Solan yelled. Xena knew they would have better luck if they split up, but she didn't need to be looking for two children in the middle of Pella. They finally spotted him in Prince Aristo's arms.

"Mommy, look what Prince Aristo bought me." He held a leash to a turkey.

"I believe he belongs to you?" Prince Aristo asked.

"Yes, he does, what are you doing with him?"

"I have a business proposition for you."

"Well I don't want to hear it, let my son go." Xena was not very happy.

"You will make me a sword like yours that will not break in battle. My last sword you see did that and I don't want to take any chances. Once my sword is made and you can use my forge to make it, I will give you back your son. Understood?"

"You can't take me away from my mommy." Daniel kicked him in the chest and back flipped out of his arms. Xena grinned as he came over leading his turkey.

"Come on I think we're about ready to go home."

"We're not through here."

"I think we are." They walked off disappearing into the crowds.

"Get the guards and let's corner her," He ordered. He was very taken with this warrior woman. He wanted to get to know her better.

"Did you get all of the wine?" Solan asked as they walked leading Argo. Daniel was happily skipping ahead with his turkey while Xena shook her head in disbelief that he had somehow managed to get yet another pet.

"Yes, he made it all fit. Hopefully next time we go to Pella we can do more fun stuff and not deal with guys like the one back there." Solan nodded.

"Are you angry he got another pet."

"No, I just can't phantom why every time he comes back with another pet, I'm still shocked." Solan chuckled. Xena did too looking at him. And smiling. She pulled him close and delivered a kiss to his forehead.

"I'm really glad you're with me now."

"I am too," Solan replied. " I love you."

"I love you more," Xena told him.

"I want a kiss too," Daniel said frowning up ahead of them. They grinned at him as they caught up to him. Xena delivered a kiss to his forehead and a hug. Solan gave him one too. They stopped at a spot along the river near Amphipolis and swam and played even though they would get back later than planned.

"You're back late," Cyrene commented as she carried first Daniel and than Solan inside without waking them.

"Yeah, we stopped to relax just the three of us. I'll go put the wine up." Cyrene nodded. Xena left quickly to the tavern using her key to enter and put up the wine with Torres help after waking him.

"He's crying again," Cyrene told her coming out to meet her. Xena hurried upstairs where Solan was trying his best to reassure Daniel that Xena would be right back.

"Look see I told you so," Solan told him. Daniel didn't stop crying though.

"Just go back to bed honey," Xena told him. He nodded as she kissed him before he left out watching her lovingly take Daniel into her arms.

"Its okay baby I'm here." She sat on his bed and pulled his blanket over to him. "Its okay calm down." Daniel calmed down in her arms.

"Okay now what's wrong, I know mommy being away for a few minutes wasn't why you were crying tonight."

"He come."

"Who's coming?" Xena asked.

"Father." Xena tensed up.

"Do you know when?"Xena asked him quietly. Daniel shook his head.

"He's going to hurt me."

"No, you never have to fear death from him, you're too valuable to him at the moment."

"He's going to kill you."

"No, no baby I'm not going anywhere, he's not going to kill me."

"I want to go back to Egypt!" Daniel yelled and screamed as his hands got red and hot to the point where Xena caught on fire just as Solan and Cyrene came to see what the problem was.

"Daniel calm down," Xena told him as everyone came to see the problem.

"Xena you're on fire!" Cyrene exclaimed in shock. Xena looked at her arm.

"Daniel stop it you're hurting me." Daniel stopped thrashing and crying to see Xena on fire. He quickly put it out just as Tabbai came up with a bucket of water, he paused in throwing it on them.

"Xena are you okay?" Cyrene asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, this isn't the first time. I got lucky this time."

"What's wrong with him, why did he do that?"

"He says Ares is coming, he wants to go back to Egypt because he's afraid Ares will kill me."

"And the fire?" Solan asked.

"Its fine, he loses control when he's hysterical." Xena was hugging him close as she rubbed his back. The poor boy was all sweaty and shaking still.

"I don't think it was a good idea to tell him dear."

"Yes, it was, he didn't have a nightmare, if he had he would have had a vastly different reaction." Once she had reassured everyone she was fine they went to bed. Daniel however would not, he refused to let her out of his sight if at all when she had to use the little warrior's room.

"Watch your side," Xena told Solan as he hit the dust again. She never showed any mercy when they trained. She didn't want him to expect mercy from any future opponents more specifically Ares. Training with Centaurs had made him stronger than the average kid, it also helped that he had great genetics, but with her training he grew stronger more graceful everyday, he had been working hard at his flips, which pleased her. She swung her sword to block Daniel's staff.

"You watch your legs," Xena told him as he fell on his back. She now had a new urgency to make sure they both knew their weaknesses. "Know your weaknesses better than your enemies, know them better than me. They will learn to exploit them, you must learn to use them. To your advantage." They nodded as they got up. "Defend yourselves." They got into a fighting position.

"Xena must you be so rough."

"Yes, I don't want them to expect mercy in times of defense. I must train them as if they were in battle. This way they know what to expect and they're better equipped to survive. The only difference will be, I hit to cause a little pain, for real they will hit to kill." Cyrene nodded knowing her daughter was right as they did jumping jacks with weights on their legs and arms. She was purposely driving them to the point of near exhaustion.

"That's enough grab your spears. Leave the weights on."

"I don't like them learning to use weapons like the spear and sword."

"I know," Xena told her with a frown. "I don't either, but Ares will come when we are separated in that case if he takes either of them anywhere I want to make sure that with whatever weapon they fine they have a fighting chance. I know he'll send warriors first, he always does. And trust me there's nothing worse than trying to wield a weapon you know nothing about."

"Than I suppose this is for the best dear." Xena nodded. Solan and Daniel took a beating, but she noticed that they both paid attention to their mistakes and never made the same ones twice.

"Solan you're favoring your left side and Daniel you're favoring your right. Don't favor either side you're leaving yourself open."

"Yes ma'am," They said. She taught them the ancient art of Kung Fu. She made them ultra flexible and they were no longer allowed to train without weights. Even the Amazons at Artemis' insistence were working their young warriors of all ages harder. Gabrielle and the girls barely had time to visit.

"Why meditate?" Daniel asked as they did so.

"Because it focuses the mind, relaxes the body, and calms the soul. It allows you to become one with nature. Becoming one with nature allows you to disappear in plain sight, and the elements to work for you not against you. To be at peace with yourself is the making a true warrior."

"Will I have to kill?" Daniel asked once all three of them had opened their eyes in the snow. They were out in the wilderness with practically no clothing. Solan was shivering, but he had sucked it up so that like Daniel and Xena he was not shivering.

"If your father seeks us out before you are a man, than yes you will be forced into a position where you must choose to end a man's life. Both of you." She looked at both of them. "If it was up to me neither of you would be forced into such a decision."

"Its okay mother I know you didn't choose this." Xena nodded.

"I want you guys to take this wisdom with you though. Don't kill unless you have too. Ares men will be ruthless, but most will run away if they feel like they can't win."

"Kill or be killed," Solan quoted.

"No, not kill or be killed, that means show no mercy. Mercy is what separates us from others, its what will separate you from me in your lives. Don't make my mistakes don't live by that motto. You don't have to be Prey, but you don't have to be a predator either. Draw blood only when all other options have been exhausted and there is no other way out. "

"But I want to travel and help people like you do," Solan told her. "And what if I must fight in a war."

"Unfortunately that is the time to live by the kill or be killed motto, however, it is always good to go that extra mile to spare a life rather than extinguish it." They nodded.

"Find your dinner." They stood up with their spears. They were on amazon land, so the fear of Ares was temporarily extinguished. If Ares appeared anywhere on Amazon land Daniel and Solan would immediately appear by her side. Of course neither of them had much success, but she did. It was hard, but she managed not to give into her maternal instincts in favor of their survival against Ares.

"Solan you look so weird without hair," Cyrene laughed as she rubbed his head as he ate hungrily along with Daniel. Xena had passed on dinner preferring to go to her forge. She spent a lot of time in there on a secret project.

"Yeah, but I like it," Solan told her after swallowing. Cyrene was amazed that they had kept their manners in tact even though they were half starved.

"Do I look funny?" Daniel asked. Cyrene shook her head.

"No, you look adorable." She pinched his cheek. "Do you ever take off those weights." They shook their heads.

"We want to workout in whatever we do."

"If you two boys are done, why don't you do your chores," Xena told them entering. They nodded as they finished up.

"Thank you for breakfast Nana," They said before running out. Cyrene set food in front of Xena.

"Did you have a hard a time as them catching food?" Cyrene asked. Xena shook her head.

"No, I just know where to look though. But I didn't fare too much better in my catch."

"Why didn't you shave off all your hair."

"Because I'm the teacher not the student. Besides I like my hair." Cyrene chuckled at her daughter as she ate. Xena ate quickly to go watch her boys.

"I thought you would have daughters you know," Cyrene told her as they watched them. Xena smiled a little.

"Funny so did I, but its not meant to be."

"Of course it is."

"No, in this life I have my two sons and I am content with that, I don't need a girl. She can only make me happier, but I'm not going to get any sadder without her." Cyrene nodded.

"I guess I'll have to reply on Solan and Daniel to put you through some of the misery you put me through and I put my mother through and so on." They chuckled. Once their chores were finished it was back to training. Even Tabbai was joining them now. He had opted out on the trip into the wild to help his parents. Samara was sick.

"You have all worked hard this pass year," Xena told them as they stood before her. "Now I put you through one more test before you are upgrading from Learning to Training." They were in the training yard in the amazon village. Every weapon imaginable was laid out for everyone. She tested every Amazon including her own sons and Tabbai. Some didn't pass, but the majority did and managed to escape with only a few bruises.

"Wow you did a good job training Solan," Ephiny commented as the competitions commenced all in good fun. Xena sat on the fence nodding as Solan fought a girl in one of the competitions.

"Thank you," Xena commented looking at her briefly turning back to see Solan use pressure points on the girl's leg. "Solan no, pressure points are not for competition." He nodded and undid what he had done.

"I can't believe you taught your son before you taught me," Gabrielle stated in disbelief.

"Sorry Gabby, but I must prepare him, so that even if I'm not there I can protect him." Gabrielle nodded in understanding.

"He's not alone Xena, neither of them are and neither are you. You guys still have us, so don't forget it."

"Never," Xena told her. After a day of competitions for children and adults a like and feasting they headed home.

"Did you see me win?" Daniel asked her in his carefree tone. Today had been a successful day of distraction, and happiness was filling his voice again. It had been so long since he had been able to break free of his impression of Ares as Xena liked to call it, in the sense that everything he said was devoid of any real emotion. She hated to hear him unhappy. Even Solan was not so tense now. He had been made thoroughly aware of the threat Ares posed to their lives. So she relaxed too through always on guard. She was also pleased to notice that however relaxed they also remained aware of the situation.

"I have presents for you guys when we get home." They nodded happy they were finally going to get to see what was in the forge.

"Your next lesson is making your own weapons," Xena told them. A smile filled their face as they got excited and high fived each other.

"Yes!"

"I take it you guys wanted to try it." They nodded their heads vigorously. "Well this is a family tradition that goes back since the beginning of mankind."

"Making weapons really?" solan asked.

"Yes, but not just any weapon, your first weapons," Xena told them. "Though girl children were more likely to get a dagger at best they would never use. However my father made my brothers and I our first sword, and so on with his father, and his father. So now I do the same for you. I present to you both your first sword and every other weapon. "

"You mean they belong to us and not you?" Daniel asked.

"Wield them with Grace," Xena instructed them. Solan held out both hands and she placed the beautiful blade into his waiting hands. He bowed to her and stepped back as Daniel did the same. They carefully unsheathed their blades.

"Father's name is on here," Solan said. "And yours and Daniel's."

"So you know why you fight, so you remember all your lessons."

"Mine says everybody's name."

"So you remember your family and what we stand for and where your home is."

"Mommy if I turn out bad would you still love me."

"I will always love you, no matter your actions nothing will ever change that. Both of you listen to me. You can always come home." Cyrene stood outside the forge and let a few tears fall. She had shunned Xena for making bad choices and here her daughter was embracing her children and telling them no matter how bad they were, she would always welcome them home.

"But Father's going to make me a bad person."

"Only you can make the choice to be a bad person, but you can also make the choice to be a good person," Solan told him. "That's what mommy did and my daddy who is your daddy now too."

"Mommy is Solan daddy really my Daddy now too?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, if you want him to be," Xena told him. "Ares helped to create you, but it takes a lot more than that to be a father. But Solan's right you can make a conscious choice not to become his pawn. I know your heart, and inside there is a courageous, innocent, young boy with a heart of gold." Daniel hugged her because he was so scared of becoming a person that would be so evil he'd harm his own mother.

"Its your choice," Solan repeated to him as he hugged him too. Another Fall and Winter passed without incident bringing a beautiful spring to earth and leaving young daniel another year older.

"Thirteen and already as tall as your mother," Gabrielle told Solan as she rubbed his head. He hadn't grown his hair back opting to do so when he headed off to the university to further his education at eighteen years of age. Currently he spent time with the town goldsmith in an unofficial apprenticeship. He really loved to create stuff in the forge with his hands. Daniel had opted to learn enough to make his own weapons, but Solan and Xena produced works of art, they often sold in Pella.

"Is this the forge of Xena?" A man called from the gate. They were all outside since it was so hot preparing a meal for that night to celebrate everyone's birthday since they were around the same area. Ephiny, Solari, and Gabrielle were in charge of the cake.

"Yes, who calls?" Xena asked going to the gate wiping her hands on a clean cloth.

"I am a Merchant."

"And for what do I owe this visit?" Xena asked opening the small square to look out. The man was on a horse, but she could easily see him.

"I've come to request some of your works of art."

"You'll have to talk to Solan." She beckoned him over.

"We'll trade you works of art for pure gold and silver."

"but that is so expensive, I couldn't trade it."

"Suit yourself."

"Okay, okay, I'll come back later with a supply." They shut the slot and he galloped off.

"I'm going to take Argo out for a ride." They nodded as she retrieved her beloved horse. She took a long ride enjoying the feel of the win in her hair. She stopped and suddenly and Argo lifted up on her hind legs as Xena unsheathed her sword.

"I hear it too girl." Argo snorted and turned north and they spotted a horse coming their way. Xena put her sword away and picked up her chakram instead. She sent it flying and the rider found themselves on the ground as the horse kept galloping off.

"Xena," the rider called. Xena approached cautiously on Argo holding her sword at the ready. "Xena."

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Xena asked suspiciously. The rider she realized was a blind woman as she breathed heavily she reached out for her before passing out. Xena sighed and got down. She easily lifted the woman up and into her saddle before collecting her horse which had now slowed down to rest and graze. It was a chestnut mare of good stock, definitely well taken care of possibly recently acquired by the girl.

"Xena, what happen?" Gabrielle asked as she saw the girl slumped over Xena.

"Was she attacked?" Ephiny asked. Daniel looked alarmed from his seat where he was caring for his weapons like Solan.

"No, no she's been riding for quite awhile, I imagine she's only stopped a few times and only just long enough to get a new horse. Come on let's get her inside."

"I'll go prepare a room," Solan told them. He placed his weapons carefully out of the way before running inside.

"Daniel go fetch water from the town well," Cyrene commented. She had just shown up from the tavern, Torres would be joining them in a little while. Hadar went with Daniel to collect water since he had been heading there in the first place. Asher went to the garden to pick fresh medicinal herbs.

"We'll get her fresh garments," Hadassa told Xena who nodded.

"Move Kitties," Daniel told the four offspring of Kitty. Doggy sniffed the woman, but followed Daniel as Monkey swung in a swing preferring to not go to the well. Nalani of course dutifully followed Daniel.

"I don't see any wounds, so she is just exhausted," Xena told them before she let them in to help bath her and change her into fresh clothing.

"Come on let's leave her to rest." They left out. It was late when the Merchant returned with lots of gold and silver that Xena had to inspect for Solan. He wasn't very good at telling real gold from metal painted gold, the same with silver. In exchange he had excellent works of art and a curved sword.


	13. The Promise

The Promise

"It's been a week are you sure she's not dead?" Daniel asked Solan. Solan nodded.

"Yes, she snores." They listened and could hear her snoring soundly and laughed.

"Hey you two don't you have work to be getting too this morning?" Xena asked shooing them away from the door as she came up with a tray of breakfast, she was sure the girl would wake up today.

"But we wanna see her wake up," Daniel told her.

"No, she doesn't need two little boys around her making noise. Now I'm giving you today off from training and your studies I suggest you enjoy this great weather we've been experiencing." They both grinned at each other.

"Swimming!" They exclaimed. Xena smiled at them as they headed for the stairs.

"Hey where's my kiss." They ran back up and gave her kiss.

"Sorry," They apologized before leaving. Xena entered the room quietly noticing that the girl had stopped snoring.

"You're awake," Xena commented.

"Xena?" The girl asked opening her eyes. Xena could see that although she could see her eyes searched for her anyway before she found her.

"Yes, you have reached the end of your journey it would seem." Niobe nodded as Xena set the tray down and helped her sit up.

"Any particular reason for seeking me out."

"Yes, it is about your son Daniel."

"Yes, what about Daniel?" Xena asked curiously.

"Ares killed my father three years ago. We were on our way to warn you of the prophecy," Niobe spoke quietly. Xena listened intently. "I was getting the horses ready when he appeared in the house, he killed my father. I'm afraid my father may have told him of your son so he would not kill him. As well as the rest of the prophecy."

"Tell me the prophecy now." Niobe recounted it.

"Xena if you die, we are all doomed, but if you fight Daniel will be good. You must not fail or he will be evil. He needs your guidance now more than ever. Ares prepares to strike soon. He has gotten around his sister's protection of your presence and only wants you to relax before he strikes." Niobe fell silent and quietly slipped away from life. Xena covered her with a sheet and took supper back downstairs.

"Was she still out?" Cyrene asked. Xena shook her head as she recounted the prophecy to her mother.

"He's just been bidding his time mother."

"Xena, stay calm you can't lose your cool if you are to defeat him."

"No."

"What?" Cyrene asked.

"She warned me, she told me, she said he was waiting for me to relax." Xena grabbed her sword and chakram running for the river where the children were likely to be swimming.

"Danny, solan!" Xena called slowing down to register her surroundings. She heard laughter and splashing. She slowed down to a walk in relief that they were okay, but than she felt him. The all to familiar tingle went down her spine. She flipped up into a tree and hurried towards her children.

"Who are you?" A boy asked curiously at Ares as Solan stopped splashing along with Daniel.

"You two," Ares said looking at Solan and Daniel. If neither of them looked like their mother than he wasn't a god.

"Who are you?" The boy asked again. The other boys also stopped playing to watch him. Ares shot a ball of lighting at him sending him flying into the river. Solan and Daniel's instincts sent them under the water for the poor boy as the others ran away from Ares in complete fear. When them came back up, they dragged the boy to the opposite bank shouldering him easily Solan told Daniel to run away as he followed.

"Strong boys, I like that," Ares commented. He naturally assumed that there was more than one child, one being taller than the other made no difference, the other would catch up soon enough when he eliminated their mortal side.

"Run Daniel!" Solan yelled giving him a kick. That put Daniel into motion as he ran. Ares started to disappear after them, but a very familiar war cry stopped him as they disappeared into the forest.

"Xena," Ares said as she landed gracefully in front of him. It made no difference that she was in a beautiful blue dress, he could see her form was still just a lethal.

"Ares."

"I see you haven't changed much, still quick as ever."

"Always."

"Before I kill you, you want to tell me why you never delivered my sons to me?"

"They aren't your sons."

"They are mind and I want an explanation."

"You already know why I never brought Daniel to you."

"That does not explain the other one."

"I told you he's not yours, I had Solan thirteen years ago."

"Ah the one who made you give it all up. Well than I'll just make sure I kill him right along with you."

"You had better not touch a hair on either of their heads."

"I will touch every last bit of hair on their heads. I am going to bath in your son's blood right in front of you. I'm only going to keep you half alive long enough for you to see all my dreams of power come true through my son."

"He's not your son, just go away Ares. Let Daniel live his life in peace."

"Never, he is the son of the God of War and he will act like it. Not the little bitch you've turned him into."

"I didn't turn my son into a little bitch, I'm turning him into a real man. Now I know how much it hurts to know my son is more of a man than you'll ever be, but you're just going to have to live with that." Ares pulled out his sword and swung with such force that sparks flew. Xena and Ares were both surprised her sword held true.

"Give up Xena, you can't win," Ares taunted. "Now come on why don't you be a good little whore and obey me."

"You know what that's the thing all these years, you kept thinking that I was just your little whore, but in reality you were my bitch," Xena told him. She delivered several swift and hard kicks to his stomach that made even him double over before sending a kick to his face that would have drawn blood and or killed any mortal.

"Bitch," Ares groaned getting up.

"Ares you've been warned stay away from my son or else." He laughed rubbing his jaw. He eyed her suspiciously wondering why she could cause him physical pain.

"Oh Xena this party is just getting started, just getting started." He disappeared. When she was sure he was gone she relaxed only a little before flipping to the opposite bank of the river in search of her boys.

"Solan, Danny!"

"Mommy," Daniel ran to her and hugged her. She kissed his forehead.

"where's Solan?"

"I'm here," Solan said poking his head out. He carried Daniel's friend out. He was still alive, but just barely.

"Come on let's get back home." They nodded. Xena lifted the young boy into her arms and Solan called to the others that it was safe. They all hurried back to the village. Xena put the boy in the room Niobe had occupied and proceeded to save his life with help.

"where's the woman?" Solan asked as Daniel sat sadly next to his friend's bedside.

"She died of exhaustion," Xena answered him sadly.

"Oh, did you find out why she wanted you?" Xena nodded. "Why?"

"Hey go find his mother in all the chaos I completely forgot to send you for her, she must be hysterical with worry now."

"Xena we have a litter ready to take him home," Cyrene told her coming up. "His mother will want him home."

"Did you send someone to her?"

"That's what I forgot!" Cyrene exclaimed.

"Its fine we'll just take him. Solan come help me." They went inside the room to carry him out on a sheet.

"Mommy will he be all right?"

"He's going to be just fine," Xena told him. "Trust me I've seen much worse wounds by the Gods survived." Daniel nodded trusting in her completely. Solan and her gently carried him downstairs to the litter before Cyrene gently covered him a warm blanket and they carried him to the village.

"Mario!" His mother exclaimed running towards him.

"No, no wait!" Solan and Xena exclaimed just barely getting her to pause.

"My baby is dead!" She cried. "Don't tell me not to touch him."

"No, no its not that," Xena told her. "He's wounded and you lying on him would really hurt him." They could see her body slump with relief after a few moments.

"Will he live?" She asked. Xena nodded.

"With proper care, I'm sorry we didn't send someone to tell you earlier our thoughts were of his survival not of notifying you."

"I don't care you saved his life," She told her grateful. She kissed her son's forehead before turning away to wipe her tears. "Please come in." She opened the door and her husband who had been silent and still was helped them get Mario into his own bed.

"You'll have to change his bandages every four hours and reapply this special poultice, you can't get it from the healer so I'll bring some more by tomorrow morning. I made enough to last you through the night." They nodded before thanking her immensely.

"No really you owe us nothing, its what we do, we help people. You owe us nothing," Xena told them knowing that the grateful attitude would disappear when they realized Daniel was the reason Ares had shown up causing Mario to be attacked by the God of war.

"Its Daniel you should be thanking," Solan told them. "He's the one that dived under the water and saved Mario from drowning before carrying him away." Daniel looked at his brother from his place behind his mother. Solan didn't look at him though.

"Thank you Daniel you're a true friend."

"Thank you, but it was..."

"A miracle you didn't freeze like me," Solan put in. Xena remained silent.

"We have to go," Xena told them. They nodded finally letting them go.

"Why?" Daniel asked. "I only helped you find him in the water, but you saved him."

"Odd I remember you doing the saving," Solan told him. "Must have been the rush that's making you mix up events."

"Mommy did I?"

"You definitely had a hand in saving him," Xena answered. Daniel just continued to look confused before he just agreed with Solan assuming he would know better because he was older.

"Any particular reason?" Xena asked Solan later as they worked in the forge to pass the night. Xena couldn't sleep and Daniel was playing Mehen inside with Cyrene and the others.

"I was hoping to get Daniel to feel good about saving someone, its an intoxicating feeling and I don't want him to forget it. Mother he doesn't talk to you as much anymore, but he wants so badly to believe that he's good, to know that nothing could ever make him disappoint you by becoming ares' Pawn." Xena sighed.

"I know, I just don't know what to say to him, its not as simple as it use to be. He doesn't take me at my word as much as he use too on this particular matter. I think today was a wake up call for all of us." Solan nodded.

"He loves us so much and he's so afraid that he'll hurt us all."

"Next time he brings it up tell that his fear of hurting us is what separates him from Ares. He's less likely to do it."

"Are you sure mommy?" Daniel asked. They hadn't even heard him he was as quiet as Xena.

"Yes, very sure," Xena told him as she put down her hammer. "Besides you also have a few things Ares will never have."

"What's that?" Daniel asked.

"A family who will love you regardless of your actions. You know how to receive love and reciprocate love. And that is the fatal flaw of Ares, he can't. You can. "

"Doesn't that also make me more dangerous?" Daniel asked.

"No from love comes compassion and mercy. Love is what separates the Heroes from the Warlords. I know from experience." Daniel leaned against her as she put her arms around him in a familiar comforting manner.

"Mommy would you kill me?" Daniel asked.

"What?" Xena and Solan asked at the same time. Solan had stayed out of the conversation letting Daniel confide in Xena like he needed.

"if you had too would you kill me?" Daniel asked.

"What do you mean if I had too?"

"If I attacked you before I took over the world, would you kill me?"

"I can't answer that Daniel, I don't even want to think about ever making that choice."

"But I want you to promise me to do it, if I disappoint you."

"Honey I told you, that's impossible for you to achieve."

"No, no promise me please mommy." He looked up at her with blue eyes that mirrored her own and so full of sadness. Solan was just shocked to disbelief. "You have to promise me please."

"I c...c...can't Daniel you're my baby boy."

"Promise me mommy, I have to have your promise. I have to know that you will live even if I have to die."

"Daniel why are you asking me to kill you and than live with myself as if hurting you wasn't the worse thing I could ever do."

"Because I don't want you to die ever," Daniel cried. "I'll never forgive myself."

"Well than if it ever came to that maybe its for the best I die and you came to your senses."

"No mommy, I heard the woman about the prophecy in her sleep, if you die than the world is doomed. I don't want to kill you, I'll suffer for eternity without you if you die." Xena took a deep breath disgusted with herself as she knew the next words out of her mouth.

"Okay."

"Promise me, you never break your promises. Solan you promise me too if I come after you."

"I promise to spare mother from doing it if I can," Solan told him. Xena had told him about the prophecy before they had both fallen silent and she asked why he had told Daniel he'd been the one to save his friend when he hadn't.

"Mommy promise me, don't just say okay. You must stop me. I just know he'll want me to get rid of you first."

"I promise I will stop you by any means necessary. But you have my promise that I will exhaust every thing else before I ever consider killing you."


	14. The Devil's Deal

The devil's deal

That night Xena cried in the barn under the pretense of tending to Argo, she couldn't believe the promise she had just made to Daniel. How could you ever bring her self to harm him promise or no. She never dreamed it would all come down to her having to harm her child, but she knew it was very likely that just to make things even more messed up Ares would demand Daniel kill her. If she let herself be killed not only was Solan definitely doomed but the world. And if she didn't allow herself to be killed she had killed her own child.

"Catch-22," Ares said. Xena turned pulling out her sword immediately. Ares noted it under his throat, but didn't flinch.

"Get out of here, stay away from my son."

"You mean my son," Ares told her.

"What do you want Ares, I'm willing to bargain, I suggest you take me up on the offer since I'm not the bargaining type."

"True your not, but I'll tell you what I want. The key to world domination, and that is my son with you. Besides his real mother wants to see him." Xena punched Ares so hard he fell to the ground. He laughed as he stood up.

"That bitch may have been in my body when he was conceived, but I birthed him, I fed him, I changed his diaper, I comforted him, played with him, and trained him. So don't you ever tell me or imply that I am not his real mother. Daniel is my son no matter the circumstances around his conception."

"He won't think of it that way."

"Oh don't give me that bullshit, he knows how he was conceived. I keep no secrets from my son."

"Does he know you once made love to me freely?"

"He knows we had an relationship like everyone else, it's no secret." Ares laughed.

"I'm sure."

"You must want something else." Ares paced silently realizing that like at another point in Xena's life he could ask anything of her and the likely hood of her agreeing had gone up considerably.

"Hmm...well I already have your soul in the next life so that's out. Just so we're perfectly clear you want me to..."

"Leave my entire family alone, anyone I consider family you may not touch them ever in this life or the next, you will let them have peace. You can not interfere with their lives directly or indirectly. That also includes me as well." He nodded.

"Fine, but I want Daniel."

"No, you can have anything, but not my son."

"I want Solan."

"I just told you not my sons." Ares was silent and disappeared. Xena remained tense before he reappeared again.

"All right, you say I may ask of you anything?" Xena nodded.

"within limits that you're well aware of."

"All right, I want from you a daughter, you must willingly lay with me and create a daughter. And until you agree, this contract..." He paused and held out his hand. "will remain unsigned. I will keep attacking until I either have my son or my daughter." He disappeared. "Sleep well Xena." Xena growled and punched a hole through Argo's stall door.

"Sorry girl." She walked out hurrying into the house.

"What's going on, Daniel felt his presence," Solan told xena when they stopped their attack upon seeing her.

"He's offered to leave Daniel alone."

"But there's a price," Cyrene replied without hesitation. There would always be a catch with the Gods.

"In exchange for Daniel and leaving everyone we consider family in peace in this life and the next, he proposes that I give him a daughter."

"A daughter?" Daniel and Solan asked.

"I'm guessing he want's a female replica of me."

"You can't do it," Daniel told her.

"Why not if it will save your life?" Tabbai asked.

"Because Tabbai Ares is forcing me to choose one child over another. If I choose Daniel and Solan he will hang that over my daughter's head for the rest of her life. And vice-versa. The feeling of betrayal from your mother is one of the worst feelings in the world and very powerful."

"I'm so sorry Xena."

"Don't be its not your fought mother." Xena hugged her as she returned it and kissed her cheek.

"Mommy I won't be betrayed, I'm asking you not to do it."

"Daniel it doesn't matter that you could tell me not to do it, in no time you'll find that most of your free will and clear thinking will have diminished greatly. "

"What are we going to do?" Solan asked.

"I don't know, I don't know which is worse not stopping a war that will ruin your lives or having another child to give him and put her in the exact same place I'm trying to keep Danny from." They all sat together all night as a family trying to find ways to stop Ares.


	15. Decision Actual chapter

Decision

"Xena, you can fight him."

"Than everyone will die, I fear that I can only fight for so long, he will drive me to a point beyond exhaustion and my defenses will weaken. Death will be my only way out."

"Sometimes to save someone we have to die," Cyrene told her. Xena looked at her. "If you give him what he wants, we'll be in the exact same predicament."

"I…" Xena started but Ares appeared and began throwing fireballs. He blew up the barn and Argo and the chestnut mare came running in fury bursting through the gate. Doggy growled and bit his arm. He threw him off easily and sent a fire bolt his way.

"DOGGY!" Daniel screamed. Ares started aiming for most of the animals to Daniel's horror. Solan grabbed a javelin and through it with precision. Ares however caught it.

"You, I'll make part of my army whether you want to be or not," Ares told him with a grin. He threw the javelin at Cyrene. Xena just barely caught it as her mother retreated into the house out of sight. Xena turned and hurled it back at him.

"Your fight is with me Ares why don't you stop picking on helpless animals." She took out her sword and flipped in front of him. She sent a kick to his head only to have him catch it and attempt to put her on her back, but she flipped. He took out his sword and the clash of their swords seemed to boom as if thunder were in the air. Neither noticed the sound. Solan and Daniel unsheathed their swords ready to jump in and save Xena if necessary. Xena back flipped out of the way of several fireballs as they hit the wall destroying it.

"What's the matter Ares, can't kill me?" Xena taunted. She heard the bow strings being pulled back as he disappeared with a laugh."Take cover!" She slid under a wagon the same time as Solan, Daniel took cover behind a newly finished shield.

"Spartans?" Solan asked looking at the arrows. There was yelling as the soldiers advanced on them.

"No, Spartans would advance in a phalanx."

"Even fighting three people?" Solan asked.

"It's the most effective way and Spartans enlisted by Ares wouldn't be stupid enough to break formation over us." He nodded as they came out. "Quickly get the javelins." Daniel came out and grabbed the javelins as well as Tabbai who was covered in blood not his own. Xena began to take aim at the men running towards them swords out. They joined her in throwing them. Daniel grabbed his bow and arrow firing along with Solan as Tabbai handled the javelins with Xena. When they ran out of Javelins Xena looked around thinking quickly as she sent Nalani after Gabrielle.

"What now?" Tabbai asked as they took cover from another wave of arrows.

"Grab helmets and shields and spears. We're going to form a mini Phalanx."

"What are the odds of that working with four people mother?" Solan asked as the arrows ended and they did as they were told.

"Daniel run a line of fire straight so they can't get us from the sides, they'll be forced to come straight at us."

"Nothing to hold us from the back," Solan pointed out.

"Well than I suggest you don't move." Solan nodded as they came together giving themselves room to slide. They came at them and they held as best they could sliding if another did to stay together.

"Shove!" Solan yelled. They all shoved them back and than opened their shields to allow their spears through only to close them again. When they came for them again they began picking them off almost. It was not exactly the idea phalanx and the only reason it was holding if you could say it was, was from sheer will alone.

"I hear Nalini," Daniel said happily knowing the Amazons were coming.

"All right than let's get some real fighting in," Xena told them.

"Xena!" Cyrene yelled. "Gabrielle is here!" She was on the roof, she ducked as several arrows came her way.

"Spear the last one." They threw their spears hitting marks. Xena took out her sword and they followed suit except Tabbai who kept his spear. "Daniel when they are closed in burn some of them." Daniel nodded. Xena dropped her shield and back flipped on top of them. In vain they tried to get her only to stab their comrades.

"Xena get down!" Cyrene yelled pointing. Xena saw the Amazons about to strike with arrows. She jumped down and helped shoved them back before they used their shields as cover and arrows rained down on the men and fire came for them at the sides and in front of them as Daniel made a barrier. He was shaking and sweating when it was all over. Xena held him close as the Amazons chased the last few away.

"I killed," Daniel told her.

"I know and its okay, we were forced too. You're not bad, if you hadn't than they would have hurt you."

"Kill one, save a thousand," Ephiny told them. Solan was staring at his hands covered in blood. They all looked at her. "Because they are dead, you have saved countless villages from being wiped out by them. You have saved Amphipolis."

"You have saved more than you have taken," Xena told them hugging them close. But she knew it wasn't that easy, they would always be haunted by that first kill, first battle. She would be there as long as she had life in her body to help them through it. But she had to stop the bloodshed. They were too young to kill.

"Take everyone back to the Amazon village." Ephiny nodded as Amazons tended to Addar, who had been shot in the lung with an arrow.

"Where are you going?" Daniel asked.

"To protect you all."

"No, mommy, don't," Daniel grabbed her arm.

"Do you trust me?" Xena asked him.

"Yes, always."

"Well than let me go, don't I always come out on top?" He nodded. She kissed his forehead. "Don't go off alone." She turned to Solan and kissed him. "You don't go off alone either. Stay with your brother." Solan nodded. She grabbed her sword and chakram and hurried off heading straight for the small hidden away temple of Ares her father had built.


	16. The Deal

The Deal

"In front of the fates Ares," Xena told him angrily. He nodded and they disappeared from the small temple and appeared in front of the fates.

"Not another marriage I hope," Clotho asked as she spun the thread.

"No, we have a little deal here, in exchange for a daughter, I will leave Xena's friends and family alone in this time life and the next. And I will continue to leave her alone as well, but claim her soul in the next life."

"I have something to add." Everyone looked at Xena." A girl must be born first, if it is another boy you cannot claim him. And you only get one shot at it."

"Xena, I don't have to make this deal with you at all, I'll go take my son right now!" Xena didn't back down.

"I will kill him first," Xena told him in all seriousness. He looked into her eyes and knew she was perfectly willing to be tormented for eternity for Daniel's death. He growled and it was added to the contract which Xena looked over for any and all minor details he may have left out.

"The deal has been written,and if any of you should break your side of the agreement..." Lachesis spoke.

"Than you will live for eternity in torment even you oh God of war." They both put their thumb prints on the document

"Ahh I love the feeling of getting my way, come on Xena." He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her but she didn't budge. "Have you forgotten our deal already?"

"No, I'll be there in a moment I know my way through Mt. Olympus Ares, you just go get ready."

"Oh no, you're up to something."

"Not at all, you have the contract, I've signed it. I've made the deal." Ares disappeared to the Halls of War. Xena turned back to the fates. "Can he hear us?"

"No one eavesdrops on us after..."

"...what we did..."

...to Hermes." Xena nodded.

"What is it..."

"...that you seek..."

"...from us warrior princess?" Xena was silent for a moment.

"I'd like to see my life's thread."

"This is it?" Lachesis told her.

"Soon another thread shall intertwine with it until it is born." Xena nodded knowing her pregnancy would happen. Xena held her thread, her life in her hands. The part she touched flashed before her eyes and memories of Solan's conception flooded her. When she came back she was gasping and the fates were looking at her strangely.

"Only a god..."

"...can see into the thread..."

"...without looking into the water." Xena looked at them strangely.

"I can't be a goddess," Xena told them. Atropos took her thread in her hands and nodded to the others as they all felt along her thread.

"Here, when you destroyed Velasca, her power found its way into you." Xena turned away from them and sat on the steps taking in the information sadly, she didn't want to be a Goddess.

"Do not fret Xena."

"What do you mean?" Xena asked. "How can I not, I am a Goddess."

"Yes, and because you are a Goddess, Ares can hold no claim over your children." Xena stood up and looked at them all.

"So I don't have to go lie with him?"

"No, you must, you have made the deal, if a son is born he may not fight you for complete control of him. If a daughter is born as a Goddess she will rightfully belong to you, as Ares did not specifically say that you must in fact give her over to him." Xena smiled at the fates.

"I knew there had to be a reason I liked you all." They didn't react.

"Beware of his wrath Xena, he will break the contract and suffer." Xena nodded she hurried out the mortal way. Now was not the time to try out her powers. She ran into Athena and Artemis who tried to stop her.

"You should have called on us."

"Yes, in retrospect, but something wonderful has just been brought to my attention." She filled them in before leaving them smirking.

"I knew my laws would come in handy one day." Ares appeared.

"You're too late sisters she's already made her deal." Artemis and Athena were now frowning as well as Xena.

"She was just telling us, but don't think for one moment my niece will be your vision if I have anything to do with it." Artemis and Athena disappeared. Ares grabbed Xena and disappeared with her. Xena made effort to put up some sort of resistance.

"Stop fighting it Xena, you know you want me as much as I want you," Ares whispered in her ear. He hadn't wasted any time in claiming her lips, her earlobe, her neck and now her breast. Xena was trying hard to separate herself from the situation to just let it happen. But her traitorous body reacted as she had in the past when she wanted to sleep with Ares. She nearly scoffed out loud at her own thoughts when had she ever stopped desiring him physically?

Physical desires were hard to break when the memory was still fresh in your mind as if they were happening just yesterday. Her skin was on fire from his touch and all she wanted to do was stop before she did something she would regret.

"Can we just get on with it?" Xena attempted to growl, but what sounded like a moan to her distress. She was losing this battle and she knew she would have to take over or he would drag this out for the long haul. Taking a deep breath she pushed the fuzziness from her mind and took control easily enough she knew what he liked and how he liked it. It was like she had never stopped doing it. His moans filled the air and several times she had to keep him from taking control before she finally felt his release a little after her third unintended one.

"Gods I feel so dirty," Xena muttered getting off of him and dressing as he lay there breathing hard.

"You know you are a little animal in bed," Ares told her. "I think I'll purposely keep these scratch marks for a little while. Xena said nothing as she was visibly noting how fast conception can take place in a Goddess. With Daniel as a mortal she hadn't been around to know if she would have felt his conception, but she did know only because she was mortal did his growth slow.

"Its your body."

"And don't go anywhere I put a little spell on you to speed up the process, I don't have nine months to wait for my daughter. Xena said nothing for a moment.

"I'm going to go wait with Athena in her library, maybe I can bury my shame in scrolls." Xena walked out and Ares let her knowing she wouldn't make it very far with his daughter.

"Its done, in a matter of hours I should have another child."

"Hours?" Aphrodite asked. "It is at least six months if the child is stubborn."

"He put a spell on me, he's not into waiting." Athena paced annoyed.

"I don't like this one bit, Zeus will hear about this, he's technically raped you."

"Yes, I know."

"What is the penalty for raping another Goddess?" Artemis suddenly asked. Athena stopped pacing and went into her library she came back a few minutes later with a scroll. Xena was now sitting with a protruding stomach, she was at least three months pregnant.

"Penalty for rape is strip of title and he will be mortal for an entire year. When he returns he will be a lesser God."

"Who will take his place?" Artemis asked as Aphrodite conjured up some food for Xena. Athena shrugged.

"That will be for Zeus to decide upon, but Xena wishes to bring it before Zeus she can."

"Good, I think I will." They nodded happily. "But I want to have this baby in the Amazon village, I want to be sure he doesn't take her away before we can do what we have too." They nodded and disappeared with her.

"Mother!" Gabrielle reached her first when they had all come running towards her, she looked the same aside from the obvious notable difference.

"Are you all right?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, yes I'm fine just really hungry." They all went with her to a hut and Ephiny called for food.

"What happen?" Cyrene asked.

"Found a loophole," Artemis enterjected. The amazons in the room gasped and fell to their knees immediately including Gabrielle. "Rise my loyal Amazons now is not the time." They nodded following her orders."I want all the defenses up Ares will come here." One of the Amazons nodded and left out to rouse the others. Athena appeared next to Aphrodite carrying scrolls.

"All right so by law, mothers have claim over their children, and only in the event of marriage does the father have equal claim. And you never married him right?"

"Right."

"I'm lost I don't understand, can he come get me?" Daniel asked hugging Xena tightly, he was so afraid he would never see her again.

"No, he can't hurt any of us anymore okay. Before you all moved here Artemis asked me to help her get rid of Velasca, she asked for my help in exchange for shielding us from Ares. For the most part it worked but he found out somehow."

"Wait but those laws only apply to the Gods and Goddesses," Gabrielle told them.

"When I killed Velasca, all of her power went into Xena including her immortality and..."

"Xena, why didn't you tell us?" They asked. Xena let them get their questions out as her stomach grew again and she readjusted her position on the couch.

"Because I didn't know," Xena told them. "We were making the deal in front of the fates, I've had my suspicions that things were different about me, and that just confirmed it when I asked to see my thread." They all nodded their understanding.

"Well can't you get rid of it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Its not that simple, the minute she gives up being a Goddess assuming there is a place we can put the energy, Ares could easily take her child if only because she is mortal. That is the claim he had over Daniel, but it is useless now that Xena has rights." All talk died down as they thought of how something so random as energy needing to find a place such as Xena's body had saved them all. Eight hours later Xena was turning everything not human or God into water.

"This is just as bad as when he had me burning everything for a month," Xena groaned getting wet again. "I couldn't eat it was just as bad as morning sickness."

"Why do they call it morning sickness?" Ephiny asked as everyone look at her as Xena tried again to pick up a piece of meat. It was dawn and no one had managed to sleep.

"What?" Solan asked voicing everyone's thoughts.

"I mean why morning sickness?" Ephiny asked. "You ever met one pregnant woman mortal or goddess who didn't have it all day every day and sometimes even at night?"

"That's so true you wake up vomiting, and go to bed vomiting." Everyone nodded.

"You know what going through pregnancy in the matter of hours makes me think I look drunk sometimes. You know happy, crying, synical, asshole, and generous. Then we start the emotional train all over again."

"You sound loopy right now."

"I'm hungry so I'm delirious...yes!" They looked at her as she finally stopped turning food into water. She returned to eating her fill which seemed to be nonexistent. By midmorning everyone was fast asleep except the three Goddess who took shifts watching over the village.

"How can you sleep?" Gabrielle asked Xena that night as they all slept some more.

"Just because I am a goddess doesn't mean I can't sleep, if I wanted too I could stay up, but I like my sleep." Gabrielle nodded as they dozed again. The second day Xena was taken to the birthing hut.

"Push," Cyrene told Xena who sat up as best she could and bared down hard.

"How's the pain?" Gabrielle asked looking at her nearly crushed hand.

"Excruciating," Xena whispered looking into her eyes and breathing. It was worst than when she gave birth to Daniel on her own. She didn't know if she could have been on her own with this one and made it through.

"I see a head!" Cyrene exclaimed loudly. "Come on Xena just a few more pushes." Xena pushed a little more until Cyrene caught the baby and crying filled the air.

"It's a little girl," Cyrene said happily as she swaddled her granddaughter happily and Solan was allowed in with Daniel to cut the cord.

"Oh bloody hell!" Xena exclaimed. "You have got to be kidding me."

"What?" Solan asked as Gabrielle took his sister from his mother.

"You two out now!" Cyrene shooed them out as Ephiny came into help at Gabrielle's orders. They were shut off looking worried as Xena let out some cries of pain.

"Solan is mommy going to be okay?" Daniel asked him worried. Solan didn't know for sure, but he decided to reassure Daniel that she would be all right both of the completely forgetting that the odds of her dying in childbirth were zero to none as a Goddess. It was two hours later that another cry filled the air.


	17. New Addition

A/n: All right YAY new chapter finally! sorry it took me so long, but somehow I found myself getting a life, I know boo, why did I go and do that. But at least this is up now right?? I hope you enjoy this new chapter I did :)

New Additions

"You have two beautiful daughters," Cyrene informed Xena as they were given to her. Xena lay in bed exhausted from two days of pregnancy and a long birth despite being a goddess. Both of her little girls lay beside her the eldest snuggled against her eyes closed while the youngest looked at everyone alert and curious. She really hoped they didn't grow up too fast.

"Don't worry they won't grow so fast," Aphrodite assured her. Xena nodded.

"Where's Daniel and Solan?" She asked.

"Outside waiting," Cyrene told her stroking her youngest granddaughter's hand. She was smaller than her sister and strong from the grip she held on her finger.

"Let them in." Daniel rushed in ahead of Solan looking worried while Solan merely looked curious assured now his mother could not die in childbirth because of her godhood.

"Mommy are you all right?" He asked her. Xena smiled at him.

"I'm fine, come meet your other sister." Daniel turned and looked at them, Solan was already holding the eldest who was clearly comfortable in his arms as she snuggled against him.

"What are their names?" Solan asked.

"I haven't picked names for them yet." Xena frowned. "Actually hadn't even thought about it. Any suggestions?" Xena nearly slapped herself at her mistake. Everyone threw out suggestions.

"She likes Eve mother," Solan told her. Xena sat up a little as she took her eldest from him.

"Hmmm…you do look like an Eve don't you." She rubbed her head of black hair. She had blue eyes just like her. She released a breast to help her nurse. "All right you shall be called Eve from now on. But what about my littlest treasure." The littest treasure in question was staring at Daniel from Gabrielle's arms.

"Why does she stare at me?"Daniel asked.

"Because she's curious," Xena told him. "She's trying to figure out if you're going to be nice." Daniel smiled at her.

"I'll be a nice big brother don't worry," He told her. She stared at him a moment longer before deciding she wanted him to hold her. He took her in his arms and a cool wind flowed across his face.

"She has the power of wind," Athena commented thoughtfully.

"That must mean you were the one turning everything into water than," Xena commented Eve, who merely looked up at her in answer."But still this doesn't answer the question of what to name her." Everyone threw out more suggestions.

"How about we name you…Zoe Anemone?" Xena asked her when she was nursing. The wind swirled bringing a sort of peace to the room.

"I guess that's a yes."

"Eve needs a second name,"Gabrielle commented.

"How about Mesi, it means water in Egyptian." Everyone smiled at Daniel and nodded.

"Eve Mesi and Zoe Anemone,"Cyrene repeated. "They're beautiful names."

"Mother do I have a second name?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, Daniel Pyrros, I know not so imaginative." Everyone laughed.

"Come Xena, Eve, and Zoe need their rest," Cyrene said as if realizing for the first time that it was two hours after birth and neither of her girls had slept.

"Uh oh Ares is demanding you bring him his daughter," Athena told them. Everyone suddenly tensed up at the thought of giving either of the two girls over to Ares to corrupt.

"Tell him he can't have them, tell him his contract does not say that I must hand over his daughter, but have it."

"And if he insists on being persistent?" Artemis asked.

"Than you tell him that it is my right to keep all my children, and I will bring this before Zeus if he won't back off." All three goddesses disappeared to speak with Ares.

"You think he will listen?" Daniel asked.

"Nope not even, Gabrielle tell the amazons to take cover and gather the children, and send a rider to the village they have to leave too." Gabrielle nodded.

"I'll ride to the village they know me best," Eponin told Xena. She ran off immediately as Solari and Gabrielle saw to the amazons.

"Here I've got ready made slings for the girls," Cyrene told her.

"Mommy you should move," Daniel told her.

"Yes, but we have too, I've gotten all the rest I can get at the moment."

"I'll carry Eve," Solan told them. Xena dressed Eve in the ready made clothes. She secured her hat and shoes before tucking her securely in the sling Solan now wore. She made sure she was wrapped properly in her blanket.

"It's a bit windy keep her face out of the wind." Solan nodded.

"I'll take Zoe." Xena nodded to Daniel as Cyrene helped him with the sling. Xena bundled up Zoe all the same.

"You got her?" Xena asked Daniel. He nodded. She looked him over making sure he was dressed warmly. "Put your cloak on." Daniel who had thrown his cloak on a chair earlier grabbed it. Solan hadn't taken his off.

"Stay together all right, all four of you. If nothing else don't get separated from one another." They nodded.

"Where are we headed?" Solan asked.

"just to the caves," Cyrene told them.

"However Ares wrath is nothing something you play around with. Look boys Ares can still kill me, I'm not any less immune because I am a goddess." They both looked frightened at the thought. "If I die my claim is gone over you especially you three, so I want you to head for Egypt where you're safe. If I am alive I will find you there."

"How will we survive?"Daniel asked.

"Solan has learned his lessons very well as a blacksmith and you can call upon your Aunt Cleo. I'd prefer if you didn't become hired swords." They nodded. "Take care of each other and stick together. If I die, I want you to be honest with the girls about what happen, don't let them ever come to Greece blind."

"We won't mommy," Solan promised. She hugged them.

"Go head for the caves, mother and I will follow." Solan and Daniel nodded setting off with some amazon children already on the way. Xena turned and her mother was preparing to help her dress when an all too familiar pain ran through her body.

"Aah!" Xena move a hand to her stomach.

"Xena!" Cyrene exclaimed hurrying to her.


	18. Surprise Guest

Surprise Guest

"Xena, what's wrong?" Cyrene asked her as she bent over. Xena looked at Cyrene as if she were about to cry.

"I think there's another one." Cyrene looked more than alarmed as the ground shook from a blast. The fighting had begun.

"Oh no, come on we have to get you out of the village," Cyrene told her as the birthing hut caught fire. Xena nodded and hurried out leaning against her mother. They made it into the cover of the woods away from the fighting. They kept going and eventually they found a spot.

"It's coming," Xena cried.

"Push Xena." Cyrene squatted alongside with Xena and she pushed. It was several minutes before Cyrene caught a baby. Xena lay back against a tree. Cyrene carefully handed her the now swaddled baby.

"What is it?" Xena asked her holding the baby close. The ground shook once more from a blast.

"A girl," Cyrene told her. "If I didn't know better I'd say Ares found a way to control the sex of the baby."

"Even so she's not his to take." A tree fell as another blast hit.

"We have to go." Xena let out a small whimper as the placenta expelled itself. Cyrene took the baby when she began to glow.

"I think that's how you know your done," Cyrene commented seeing Xena back to her original size.

"I can't comment on this right now, too freaky." Cyrene nodded putting the baby who was even smaller than Zoe in a makeshift sling around herself. "You go to the caves mother, head to Egypt with the boys if necessary."

"Oh her name, she needs a name if nothing else you need to name her." Xena looked down at her little girl who was watching intently as if memorizing her. It was quickly occurring to her that Xena was not sticking around. It hadn't taken long for them to bond and Xena could already see her face screwing up in concentration to protest the only way she knew how.

"Shs…Samantha," Xena told her. "Now is not the time for tears." Samantha however would have none it. She wanted her mother. Xena kissed her forehead. "I love you." She hugged her mother.

"Be safe dear." Xena nodded and headed back towards the battle. For the first time she used her powers retrieving her sword and chakram from the ashes of the birthing hunt. They were in perfect condition if only because they were hers. Her power now flowed through the items though she was sure even as a mortal nothing could destroy her chakram.

"Xena!" Ephiny called. She ran over. "You should be heading for the caves and resting." Xena shook her head.

"No, I have to fight, if I don't fight we fail, that is what the prophecy said." Ephiny sighed but nodded. It didn't take long before both were engaged in a fight with an enemy soldier. Once they had finished off the army attacking the amazon village the able bodied amazons raced for the village. Amphipolis' militia were doing their best, but losing.

"Attack!" Xena cried. They all charged taking the army from behind. The Amphipolis militia cheered and attacked again with new hope and zeal. Xena was just wounding a boy too young to be sucked into Ares army when he appeared.

"I want my children Xena, you tricked me!" He thundered.

"Perhaps so, but a deal is a deal Ares. You leave my sons be and my daughter you cannot claim as per Olympus Laws."

"Than I will kill you to get my way." They fought sending sparks flying and starting fires. It was like thunder boomed each timed their swords met. Xena was very skilled, but it had been a long time since Ares had thrown all he had at her.

Xena realized too late that she was out of practice goddess or no goddess. They had been fighting for two days and her stamina was waning greatly.

She looked into Ares eyes as she parried they were wild and nothing good would come from him where any of her children were concerned. He predicted her next move well and she found herself on her back his sword raised but she wasn't afraid. He couldn't kill her. To her shock he pulled out a bloody dagger and she knew it could only be one thing. Xena rolled as he brought the dagger down cutting her side. He looked at with disgust as she lay there.

"You'll die soon you bitch, now I got to claim what is mine." He kicked her hard in her wound, she felt herself getting weaker.

"Leave them alone Ares, they aren't yours."

"They are now," He laughed and disappeared.

"Xena!" Torres fought his way to her and protected her until they were able to carry her off the battlefield. Athena was there immediately trying to heal her.

"Can you save her?" Gabrielle asked her worriedly.

"Yes, he failed to remember that I was nearby," Athena told her. "The bastard, he'll pay for this, he is not suppose to have that dagger."

"Gabrielle, the children," Xena whispered. Gabrielle gasped.

"Ephiny, Solari, Eponin come on we have to get to the children before he finds them.

Meanwhile Solan, Daniel, and Cyrene ran through the forest with three baby girls strapped to their chests.

"Grandma come on," Daniel cried. Cyrene cursed herself for having to stop. She hadn't run like this since her youth, she was only slowing the boys down, that she knew.

"I can't go any further, you must take your sisters and go I will follow later when I can." Daniel looked distressed he didn't want to be separated from his grandmother as well. As soon as she had arrived they had taken off for Egypt just to have a head start on Ares. They knew that they couldn't afford to take any chances.

"He'll find us soon," Solan told them.

"You're at the cost only a few more miles, take Samantha and go. I will follow in time." Solan nodded as he strapped his baby sister to his chest next to Eve.

"Grandma please you can make it with us," Daniel told her.

"I'm too old Daniel to run, but one day I will make it. Trust in me." Daniel nodded and they both hugged her before they hurried off. It wasn't long before Cyrene lost sight of them. She walked on at slower pace trying to hurry hoping she might still catch the boat with them, but as the sun set she knew that was not the case.

"Where are they you bitch," Ares growled appearing behind her. She gasped and turned around in fright.

"I don't know," Cyrene lied.

"You lie, you fucking whore, where are they!" Cyrene cowered against a tree.

"Somewhere you can't get them, they're in Poseidon's realm now!" Cyrene's scream echoed throughout the forest.

Ares returned to Amphipolis and appeared before a passed out Xena. It wasn't hard to knock her brother out across the room.

"One way or another you're going to give me what I want." He picked her up and disappeared with her.


	19. Lost

Lost

"Where the hell is my sister?" Torres demanded to know.

"Calm down, Ares has taken her to one of Hera's sanctuaries." They all gasped.

"Hera is protecting Ares?" Gabrielle asked. "How are we suppose to save Xena, he's probably poisoned her with Hein's blood again."

"No, the fates say her life force is growing stronger, he's nursing her back to health." Torres growled.

"What is that bastard playing at, first he tried to kill her, and then he mutilates our mother now he's curing her!" Torres paced back and forth as he continued to glance towards the bedroom door. Behind that door his sister had laid weak. Behind those doors he had failed to protect her. Now behind those doors lay his mother weak and broken from Ares attack. No one expected her to live, but he knew she would if only to see her grandchildren alive once more.

"We think maybe he's trying to use Xena's body again, we all know what he wants. Now that he has Hera's protection he can make more than enough children for an army, torture her till she tells him where the others are, and then discard her in days if she breaks easily.

"Xena won't break easily especially not for him," Gabrielle declared. "No matter what he does, she'll be happy knowing at least they got away." They all nodded.

"If he does that I will give my life to free them than, it's what she would have done, and what I shall do," Torres declared. Gabrielle nodded her agreement.

"The amazon nation is behind you there," Gabrielle informed him. He nodded.

"Solan you think mommy is all right?" Daniel asked as Solan bathed the girls. Cleopatra had set them up with a house as he had steadfastly refused to live in the palace graciously saying that it would not have been his mother's way.

"Yes, I know she is, it's just going to take her a little while to defeat Ares, that's all." Daniel nodded.

"I'm sorry I'm a handful."

"Not at all, you know the language better than I and that helps a lot. And you do all the fishing and selling so I can take care of the farm and girls."

"Yes, but I should farm, you could work on being a blacksmith." Solan shook his head.

"Later, right now the girls need care I can only give them if I'm farming." Daniel nodded. He missed their mother terribly and he hated fishing by himself. He remembered it being much more fun with his mother around. He wondered if she was ever stressed trying to provide for him when he was a child.

"Than I will catch more fish to help you provide for us." Solan smiled at him.

"Thank you."

"Where are they!" Ares raged. Xena didn't say a word from her spot on a bed, she was chained to it so she couldn't escape, not that she would have tried in her state. It had taken weeks to recover from his heins blood attack.

"What the hell is it you want from me now?" Xena asked him. Xena's breathing was slow and labored, she was getting stronger, but it was painful every step of the way.

"You know what I want, I want my children, we had a deal."

"Even if I were to make good on that deal, you could only claim a girl." Ares walked over and glared at her.

"Are you telling me you had a boy?" Ares asked her. Xena didn't say anything except lay back against the pillows. He growled frustrated. He bent down closer to her looking into her eyes, the look was terrifying, but Xena stood her ground.

"Now you listen to me, if I don't get one of them that's already here, I am going to make one, and this time you won't get away from me." Xena shuddered, but didn't say anything. "AAh!" He shot a bolt of lightening at a cave wall.

"Calm yourself!" Hera exclaimed. She walked in.

"I'm sorry mother, but she is just infuriating!" She just watched him.

"Control yourself you are a God not a mortal." He nodded. Xena didn't look at Hera, but she listened intently to them. She always listened intently to anyone including Ares and especially Hera.

"What am I going to do, I can't find them and she won't tell me."

"My son, you should have started on an army by now. Forget the two that got away create thousands now, you are shrouded in my protection no one can stop you." Ares smiled.

"But she's still weak from the Heinz Blood." Hera shrugged.

"A goddess can give birth to many at once, you don't need her for more than that." Ares nodded. Hera walked over to Xena and used her hand to force her to look at her.

"You're a pitiful excuse for a Goddess Xena, but don't worry you won't be here much longer. They can't hide forever and when we find them they will be part of the army too."

"Fuck you," Xena told her defiantly. Hera glared at her before squeezing her face a little before releasing her.

"Why Ares like you is beyond me, you're nothing but a once mortal whore that's all." Hera picked up a vile and forced Xena to drink it. Xena hated the stuff, but it often made her much better. "Remember this when you die Xena, mortals were created to do as the Gods' bid, and when you die you'll know your place.


	20. Safe Again

A/n: Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I actually wrote this chapter ages ago and apparently completely forgot. So Enjoy! As you can tell we're nearing the end here.

* * *

Safe Again

"Where are they Hera!" Zeus demanded to know, you and I both know that Ares is not allowed to do this. Hera sat resolutely on her throne in front of all the Gods. She refused to give up where she was protecting Ares.

"That is of no concern of you dear husband, the two are simply in love." Athena scoffed.

"After what he's done, we've seen Amphipolis, my patron city!"

"And my beautiful Amazons!"

"I know love and it isn't between Xena and Ares," Aphrodite spat out Ares name, she had never hated Ares as she did these last few days.

"Hera!" Zeus thundered. "I want to know now or you will be included in Ares punishment," Zeus growled.

"Do as you wish, but I am not afraid of you." Zeus was livid as he looked at his three daughters demanding from him justice. He nodded.

"All right if that is what you wish." He waved his hand and all of Hera's powers were stripped from and she fell from Mount Olympus into the path of three armies. He sent out a message all over Greece.

"Let it be known that Hera Queen of the Gods is mortal, seek your revenge!" Everyone in Greece gasped hoping they didn't run into Hera or hoping they did so they could kill her.

"She wasn't expecting that, I bet," Hermes commented with a grin.

"All her protections will be down, let's go and retrieve Xena from Ares." They nodded to Zeus and disappeared, Artemis delivering the Amazon nation, Amphipolis militia, Torres to the temple built in a high cliff. Athena brought her elite Archers, while Aphrodite brought bewitched warriors.

"You think we need Hercules?" Torres commented. "He was always good at defeating Hera's minions."

"It would be a nice addition, but Hera turned Hercules mad when he wouldn't give up information on Xena. Then she used Callisto to lock him away somewhere, we had no proof, and now we can't find him." Gabrielle frowned.

"Perhaps now we can find and save him as well."

"I do hope so," Zeus commented as Hera's minions came out at Ares bidding, they were vast and streaming from the cliff temple.

* * *

Inside the cliff temple, Xena's breathing was heavy and labored. Her skin was a sickly yellow and her lips dry and cracked. The pregnancy was a constant strain on her body, it was taking longer than the girls, because of Xena's state. Ares wanted to give her Ambrosia, but that would give her all her strength back. The Hine's blood toxin was still coursing through her system making her weak and sick.

"Come on already!" Ares yelled. He could hear the battle outside and he knew what happen to his mother. If he left the temple he was definitely doomed before he got his army from Xena. He had released her restraints as she got bigger assure she wouldn't go anywhere.

"Shut up, you think giving birth is easy!" Xena snapped in a weak voice. She held her stomach hoping to God that there was only one baby inside of her, she didn't want to supply him with millions for an army, she couldn't and wouldn't be the mother of millions. She didn't push though as much as she wanted too, she would not help the baby out for his or her own safety. She would have to hold out until they broke through and they would despite her weak state. She knew that Hera was mortal same as Ares and that meant once they were pass her minions all would be lost unless he left to another sanctuary.

"Xena!" Athena called.

"Damn it bitch give me my child or I will cut her out of you," Ares growled.

"Ares!" Zeus thundered. Ares pulled out a knife and came at Xena. He would have his child. He cut deeply, but could not get a hold of the child. Xena cried out in pain, as he had used the Hines blood dagger or no incision would have been made.

"Where is it?" Ares raged. "Where's my daughter?" Xena spit in his face. "Her child was safely out of his reach in the birth canal. She hoped he ran before her child made it out, she could already feel the head crowning.

"She's gone," Xena whispered. Ares growled as the stone door was blown open by Athena with satisfaction. Ares disappeared in rage as Torres ran in prepared to fight him for his sister's life and child.

"Torres!" Xena cried out almost two quietly. He went over to her and rubbed her forehead.

"Xena did he take the baby?" Torres asked seeing her cut open stomach.

"Ah!" Xena cried out and her body jerked a little. "Crowning." The last part was a whisper before she passed out. Torres immediately moved the blanket and looked between his sister's legs and saw a head pop out. He helped the baby out the rest of the way.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked coming up beside him.

"Another boy," Torres told her as he swaddled the baby. "I don't think there are more." Gabrielle checked Xena's pulse, it was weak, but there. Athena came over with a little Ambrosia from Hestia. She slipped it into Xena's mouth and at least her stomach healed and she was her original shape.

"Let's get her out of here," Gabrielle told them. The Gods finished Hera's minions off by themselves and transported all the mortals back to Amphipolis. Cyrene was looking much better, but she was still very ill from Ares attack. The baby was very ill from the effects of the Hines blood in Xena's body.

* * *

"Somebody has to go get the boys, they'll want to be with her," Ephiny commented.

"She's not going to die," Gabrielle whispered. "Not like this."

"Ares can't come near here, please Gabrielle go find the children." Gabrielle nodded. She set off immediately with the help of Aphrodite hitching a ride to Athens, and Athena had a boat waiting to set sail immediately, taking weeks off her journey. It wasn't long before she arrived in Alexandria. She immediately called upon Cleopatra, who after thorough grilling pointed her to their farm.

"Gabrielle!" Solan called seeing her. The girls were nearly six weeks old and a handful, he didn't know how his mother or Uncle had ever taken care of him. Daniel came out of the house with tea and she smiled at them.

"Where's mommy?" Daniel asked.

"In Amphipolis, we don't have much time, she might die." They both looked alarmed and immediately stood up to gather their things and rush back home. They each carried a baby to the docks where they reboarded the ship, and with poseidon's help at Athena's insistence they made it to the coast near Amphipolis in a day, and Artemis transported them to Amphipolis.

"Mommy," Daniel cried. They saw their brother who was large, but sickly. Samantha was distressed at finally seeing her mother again in such a state that when she began to cry Xena began to glow and then she was healed. Xena's blue eyes fluttered open as she took in her surroundings and her children.

"What's happening?" Xena asked.

"Samantha just healed you," Torres said amazed and proud of his niece. Samantha kept crying insistent as she was that Xena hold her. Xena sat up slowly careful of her new son. She handed him to Torres as she kissed and hugged her children quietly. Daniel gave her Samantha before leaning against her.

"Shs little one," Xena told her and she quieted down immediately. "Now heal your brother for me." Samantha gave a cry of protest as Xena held her close. "I know love, but do it for me." He began to glow, but he did not wake up, but slept more peacefully. "Thank you." She nursed Samantha first as her breast began to swell with a need to nurse her children.

"All right him next." She nursed her son and he seemed to nurse the longest. Zoe and Eve refused all else until it was there turn to nurse as well before they all lay on the bed sleeping peacefully.

"Where's mother?" Xena asked as Daniel quickly filled her arms and Solan took his spot. She rocked a little holding her son close. She had missed the feel of him in her arms.

"She was attacked by Ares, we didn't find her until after you were taken," Torres told her quietly. Xena took a deep breath to control her anger.

"Than he will suffer for eternity." Torres nodded. "We will ask Samantha to heal her as soon as she's awake."

"No need, she's already awake and healed." Cyrene came in leaning on the Amazon who had been watching over her. Xena was horrified like Daniel and Solan to see her missing one leg and there were scars around her eyes, but they did nothing to take away their intensity or beauty.

"Grandma your eyes," Daniel cried. Cyrene gave him a small smile.

"They're fine he failed to do the damage he wanted. It was as if something was protecting me."

"I'm glad, where is he?" She looked at Gabrielle and Torres.

"He ran, but Zeus is after him. The fates say since he broke the contract it is null and void through and through." Xena nodded.

"So he can't take me?" Daniel asked.

"No sweetie." Cyrene looked over her granddaughters and her new grandson first checking them over and than her older boys who she knew could fend for themselves, Xena had been raising them perfectly.

"I'm so glad you are all right, the girls weren't too much trouble were they?"

"No, they were just babies," Solan sighed.

"Oh my poor boy, you should be sleeping, I know you can't have slept much." Solan shook his head with a small smile.

"I'm just so happy you're all right mother." She rubbed the side of his head and kissed his cheek.

"I think I'm more glad you're all right."

"No, but I think we should name him Zek." Everyone nodded at the name before Cyrene insisted they all find some rest. Daniel and Solan made pallets for themselves in Xena's room. Assured Xena was now fine Gabrielle and Torres also left along with Cyrene.


	21. Little Ones

A/n: All right so I think I did a little better this time for the simple fact, that it's only been a little over a month since I updated last so enjoy! Thank you to all my readers/reviewers for sticking around. As always compliments and constructive criticism welcome.

* * *

Little Ones

"Eve, Zoe, Sam, and Zek!" Xena yelled. She had gotten a good six months of them as infants before they grew to the age of three and stopped. She was once again assured the aging process would now take decades. She came out of the kitchen wiping her hands.

Solan was working on his lessons in the forge and Daniel was out with the animals and Tabbai.

"Solan where did they hide?" Solan shrugged with a grin. She shook her head at him. She listened for a moment and heard one of them giggling. She knew her giggler would be Zoe. She also heard whimpering and that would be Zek for sure. He was a bit of a cry baby more than any of her other children. She easily plucked Zek out from behind a barrel and Zoe from behind a sack of corn.

"Two down, two to go." Zek was full on crying now to Xena's annoyance. She found Samantha hiding in the forge and Eve outside the gate which was going to get her in even more trouble with Xena.

"Mommy," Zek cried.

"Little girl what did I tell you about going outside of the gate!" Xena scolded. Eve gave her the puppy eyes and looked down with her lip poked out.

"Not to do it," She told her quietly.

"Exactly, now you get back in the house and help clean up the mess you made young lady." She got her four small children back into the house and they cleaned up the sack of flour they had all been playing in. Once it was all cleaned up she put them over her knee.

"Mommy," Zek cried two hours later. Xena sighed. None of her other children cried like Zek, Kaliepus had told her enough stories about Solan to know he was also fairly cooperative as well.

"Yes honey?" Xena asked. She had built an extra room when the boys were younger for their reading lessons. Now they were in it for their reading lesson.

"I don't know," Zek cried. She put Zek down for a nap and read with the others a little longer, she always allowed them to stay up a little longer if they were reading. If they goofed it was straight to bed for their nap. While they were down she trained with Solan and Daniel. When they woke up she spent time in the forge with Solan.

* * *

"So young," Cyrene commented as she instructed the children in their kung fu lesson.

"Just Kung Fu mother and hopefully this thing with Ares will be completely done soon and they'll only know the staff." Cyrene nodded as Eve started to goof off. "Evie you want mommy angry?" Eve looked at her wide eyed and innocent.

"No mommy."

"Than what do you need to do?" Eve kicked the dirt as she reluctantly admitted what she needed to do.

"Practice." She got back on task, but not for long and the second time she got Zoe off task. While Eve sported brown hair and her eyes, Zoe was rocking hazel brown with such warmth that they in no way remotely reminded her of Ares. And her little Samantha was like a replica of herself. Zek took after Daniel in the best possible way except he cried a lot.

"Eve Mesi, Zoe Anemone, Samantha Willow, and Zek!" Zek was so scared the earth began to shake and little mounds of dirt raised to protect him from her vexation.

"Mama," Zek cried as his knees shook and he scrunched his body up in fear.

"I think we know what he does now," Solan commented.

"Azibo is earth in Egyptian," Daniel put in laughingly. Xena gave him a look and he shut up.

"You four had better fall in and give me twenty push ups now for your disobedience!" They quickly fell in although Zek tripped over the mound he had made. Eve and Zoe laughed at him as Xena helped him up and dusted him off. She glared at the girls.

"Just for that you girls have added on an extra ten now get to it." They frowned. She stopped Samantha at twenty as she had not laughed and Zek barely made it to twenty without a long struggle as Eve and Zoe finished their thirty. If she could even really call it a push up.

"Mama," Zek cried lying in the dirt. Xena watched him for a moment wondering how well Zek would fare around Ares, he whined constantly and was by his standards weak.

"Daniel Solan take the girls for a run." They nodded and did so. She sat down next to Zek, who slowly got up and climbed into her lap.

"Mama," Zek cried. She put her arms around him.

"Zek honey stop crying, you don't need to cry okay." Zek nodded and sniffed. "You gotta gain some confidence honey."

"I'm sorry Mama," He hiccupped. Xena kissed his forehead.

"You don't have to be sorry, mommy just wants you to believe in yourself and do your lessons better." Zek nodded.

"I get a middle name now?" He hiccupped. Xena smiled at him.

"Yeah I guess you can have the middle name Daniel gave you. You and I are going to have to start working on your control now." He nodded.

"I no weak no more mama?" He asked her wiping his eyes.

"Who said you were weak honey?" Xena asked him.

"Zoe and Eve cause I no have powers." She kissed his head.

"Well they're wrong, you were never weak, and you most definitely have power it just took a little while to get here cause mommy was very sick when she had you."

"Zoe say I still weak."

"Well you and I will show them how wrong they are okay. You are going to be so big and strong that they won't even recognize you."

"Really?" He asked. Xena nodded.

"Aren't you my son?" Zek nodded.

"And aren't your brothers big and strong." He nodded again.

"Than why wouldn't you be big and strong honey?" He shrugged not having an answer. "All right than so you know what you have to do, to be big and strong one day?" He shook his head. "You have to eat all your vegetables." He made a face.

"Mama no vegetables are yucky," He told her. She smiled at him.

"Yucky?" She asked him. "I think you're misguided on that. Besides Mama only got big and strong cause she ate her vegetables when she was your age." Zek shook his head.

"Nana say you give her lots of trouble." Xena chuckled as he looked at her with innocence.

"Okay maybe I gave Nana a little trouble, but still because she made me eat them I got big and strong."

"Really?" Zek asked. Xena nodded. "You make me eat them too so I grow big and strong."

"Of course little one I wouldn't think of not doing so." He nodded. "But that's not all you gotta do."

"It not?" Zek asked. Xena nodded.

"Nope see Mama designed all your lessons to help you," She pointed to him," grow big and strong when you're older."

"You did?" Zek asked. Xena nodded. "Even reading."

"Even reading, actually it is one of the lessons that contribute the most next to vegetables and exercise."

"Whoa," Zek said as if Xena had told him something mind blowing.

"Now what say you and I go running, and we're going to keep up with everybody huh." He nodded.

"Yeah, I keep up Mama, I grow big and strong." He was practically bouncing with anticipation now. He ran off ahead of her.

"You ate all your vegetables no trouble huh?" Cyrene asked. Xena grinned at her and shrugged her shoulders.

"Come on Mama!" Zek called.

"I'm needed mother." Xena ran off with Zek and they joined the others in their run.


End file.
